as in writhing
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1
as in squirming
to make jerky or restless movements
a toddler wriggling in his seat all throughout the church service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in infiltrating
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way
within a month of his arrival, this social upstart had wriggled himself into the family's good graces
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Recent Examples of wriggling
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Two actors are wriggling across the stage on their bellies.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2025
The fox looked at the wriggling thing, uncertain which side was speaking.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
The camera then switches from the chaos of the puppy, to the kitten—who is sitting in a relaxed position, blinking slowly, and staring almost disdainfully at the wriggling puppy.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Anybody who has watched children fight knows that weeping will start only after the victim has given up struggling and wriggling and accepted defeat.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
According to Bed Bug Biology and Behavior, the bed bugs wriggling under hotel sheets the world over right now descend from cave-dwelling insects that originally drank bat blood.
—Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Sep. 2025
Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Small wonder that although the statue is expressive of Jordan’s signature, physically sprawling move, one leg is as stiff as a pharaoh’s, his feet are weirdly flat, his jersey is pooched as if a possum were wriggling inside it.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
Stone is remarkable; emotionally wriggling like a bug pinned to a wall, trying different tactics with this psycho.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Two actors are wriggling across the stage on their bellies.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2025
The fox looked at the wriggling thing, uncertain which side was speaking.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
The camera then switches from the chaos of the puppy, to the kitten—who is sitting in a relaxed position, blinking slowly, and staring almost disdainfully at the wriggling puppy.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Anybody who has watched children fight knows that weeping will start only after the victim has given up struggling and wriggling and accepted defeat.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
According to Bed Bug Biology and Behavior, the bed bugs wriggling under hotel sheets the world over right now descend from cave-dwelling insects that originally drank bat blood.
—Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Sep. 2025
Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Small wonder that although the statue is expressive of Jordan’s signature, physically sprawling move, one leg is as stiff as a pharaoh’s, his feet are weirdly flat, his jersey is pooched as if a possum were wriggling inside it.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggling
Noun
-
Throughout the writhing and the screaming, Julia’s fortitude wears down a defiant Davina, whose history with Lovat feeds the moment.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There is another issue, of course, squirming away in the soft flesh of maternity leave.—
Nell Frizzell,
Vogue,
13 Jan. 2026
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An annual tradition in the legal circle, as well as his UCLA symposium sit-downs, the hourlong speech from the predominantly softspoken Ziffren clearly had a few attendees squirming in their seats near the end.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The hand needed sufficient actuators to carry multiple objects while crawling, so joint torque limits, motor size, and 3D-printing constraints informed finger length, placement, and body geometry.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Jan. 2026
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Videos from people on site show some passengers crawling out of windows to escape the wreckage, with carriages leaning at an angle.—
Joseph Wilson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Airborne tear gas can drift, infiltrating residents’ apartments through vents, air conditioning units and windowsills.—
Graham Hurley,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
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The second greatest threat for the year, according to Experian, are deepfake candidates infiltrating remote workforces.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After 10 weeks without food, Muraisi is experiencing involuntary muscular twitching and severe chest pains, according to Prisoners for Palestine, with her doctors warning of possible cardiovascular collapse.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, as Decker did.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Cole, wearing a khaki jumpsuit, spent much of the hearing sitting quietly and attentively as the parties argued, occasionally adjusting his glasses or fidgeting slightly in his chair.—
Gary Grumbach,
NBC news,
30 Dec. 2025
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Applause intermingled with tears as the families of the Camp Mystic campers and counselors looked on, many with small children fidgeting in their Sunday-best attire behind the governor.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After a short detour, visitors will find some cute photo ops with the beavers and even more Pokémon creeping onto the main trail.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
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Make the jump to cigarette jeans, also known (less charmingly) as stovepipe or boyfriend jeans, which are slowly but surely creeping into the fashion ecosystem.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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They’re built with a cozy fleece lining that’ll keep your hands cozy and warm, and a wind-proof cuff that’ll keep any drafts from sneaking into them.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Jan. 2026
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Those against it will argue to do so rewards the criminal act of sneaking over the border.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wriggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggling. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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