1
as in to squirm
to make jerky or restless movements
a toddler wriggling in his seat all throughout the church service
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wriggle
Defense & National Security The Big Story Will Putin ‘wriggle out’ of Zelensky meeting?
—
Colin Meyn, The Hill, 21 Aug. 2025
And, of course, finding anything wriggling around in your box of cereal or cornmeal is definitely upsetting.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
On an island in the middle of the Florida Everglades, Taylor Stanberry — mostly nocturnal in the summer catching Burmese pythons — uncovered a wriggling nest of 30 baby pythons.
—Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Elanga looked very decent against Atletico, wriggling down the right with blistering pace.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wriggle
Colin Meyn, The Hill, 21 Aug. 2025
And, of course, finding anything wriggling around in your box of cereal or cornmeal is definitely upsetting.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
On an island in the middle of the Florida Everglades, Taylor Stanberry — mostly nocturnal in the summer catching Burmese pythons — uncovered a wriggling nest of 30 baby pythons.
—Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Elanga looked very decent against Atletico, wriggling down the right with blistering pace.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wriggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggle
Verb
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The open section of their session lasted for 15 minutes — and Howe will have squirmed through every second — but there were laughs amid the stretches and shuttle runs.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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In a horror movie, the sight of a leg being broken and the bone sticking out might be squirm-inducing but not out of bonds.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Textured toys overhead amuse babies on their backs while musical toys entertain during tummy time and when learning to crawl.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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Teams have for days meticulously tunneled under the rubble, crawling on their hands and knees searching for signs of life, knowing the unstable structure could again buckle upon them.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This story has wormed its way into all levels of British cultural output.—
Will Collins,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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The fine alkaline dirt in this ancient lakebed wreaks havoc on electronics, and worms its way into the tiniest cracks or crevices.—
Brianna Randall,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Her hand twitched from the heat.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
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Any dairy farmer can tell you that biting flies are a pestilent scourge for cattle herds, which is why one so often sees cows throwing their heads, stamping their feet, flicking their tails, and twitching their skin—desperately trying to shake off the nasty creatures.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Not even creeping death could quash the rock star within.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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The film weds Jewish mysticism and slow-creeping horror with all the anxiety of new lesbian love.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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New ones pop up every week, and old ones often sneak your data back in.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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That may open the door to Arseny Gritsyuk sneaking into the top nine after a strong training camp.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Maddie—baggy hoodies tossed over an array of old tattoos, clearly carrying a heavy amount of life for her 28 years—gradually attempts to fill her daughter in on her own youth, treading a tightrope between honesty and delicacy.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
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Carelessness and accidents happen, however, so take some time with each season to go through items and toss anything that’s faded, shattered, or stopped working.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The 67-year-old singer arrived at the Saint Laurent spring 2026 show outside the Eiffel Tower on Monday night during Paris Fashion Week, her wavy blond hair loosely trapped under the collar of her leather top, curls snaking around the edges of her face, pooling just below her collarbone.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
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In response, local tourism companies clashed, generating blockades and halting services that marooned global travelers in Aguas Calientes, the remote gateway town where buses snake through the Andes toward the 15th-century Inca citadel.—
Mark Johanson,
Outside,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wriggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggle. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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