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
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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
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Feb. 2026
It was once believed the Worm Moon's name was derived from earthworms wriggling through March's warming soil, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which heralded the first signs of spring as birds returned to feast on them.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Feb. 2026
This ethic has been especially true in the renowned Sports section, which was killed in a Zoom announcement notable for its belly-wriggling cowardice and self-owning incompetence.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
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
Verb
It was once believed the Worm Moon's name was derived from earthworms wriggling through March's warming soil, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which heralded the first signs of spring as birds returned to feast on them.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Feb. 2026
It was once believed the Worm Moon's name was derived from earthworms wriggling through March's warming soil, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which heralded the first signs of spring as birds returned to feast on them.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Feb. 2026
This ethic has been especially true in the renowned Sports section, which was killed in a Zoom announcement notable for its belly-wriggling cowardice and self-owning incompetence.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggling
Noun
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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
-
In the new iteration that would be Jack and his girlfriend Martha (Elle Fanning), whose introduction to the Taylors is one of many scenes played out with squirming discomfort.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
-
There is another issue, of course, squirming away in the soft flesh of maternity leave.—
Nell Frizzell,
Vogue,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Galahadosuchus represents one of the early ancestors of that lineage, and the evolutionary path from upright sprinter to belly-crawling ambush predator is a long one.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2026
-
But Baba’s streets were crawling with ICE proxies during his entire childhood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The development comes after long-standing fears about Chinese agents infiltrating London’s political circle.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Security footage showed that Alexander Friedmann had been infiltrating the building for months.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The disease, which gets worse over time, starts with muscle twitching, slurred speech, or weakness in an arm or leg.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
20 Feb. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Minimal but purposeful movement, avoiding fidgeting or excessive gestures, shows intention.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
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
Verb
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That later Presidents did indeed engage in military action without consulting Congress, creeping on to a power reserved for the legislature, is a fact of the past century and a half of American history but especially since the rise of the national-security state during the Cold War.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2026
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In full sun or partial shade and well-draining soil, creeping thyme puts on a show, with small flowers covering the ground like a colorful carpet.—
Jamie McIntosh,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county's election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county’s election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wriggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggling. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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