wriggle

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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2
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground a worm slowly wriggled across the sidewalk

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3
as in to worm
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wriggle For the first time in who knows how long, Kanye West is actually trying to wriggle his way out of an explosive, contentious situation. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2025 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, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Oct. 2024 So, Charlie got a ladder, wriggled through a transom, and got his collection, stored in two crates which had previously contained oranges. Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025 At the Columbus Zoo, revenge is a dish best served wriggling. Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wriggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggle
Verb
  • Joseph Quinn, the terrific British actor from A Quiet Place: Day One and Gladiator 2 (and our next Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four: First Steps), spends the bulk of this picture squirming in torment, emitting ear-splitting noises from deep within the pits of hell.
    Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The sixth episode of The White Lotus Season 3 has critics stunned—and in some cases, squirming—after a grim hour that pushed creator Mike White's pitch-black satire to new depths.
    Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Simply fill the moat with water to keep unwanted pests from crawling down to the nectar ports.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
  • And setting your baby down on the ground to crawl around isn’t the cleanest option.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • All the while, Xavier skulks along the margins of the play, worming his way closer to the actress by insinuating himself into the production.
    Joumana Khatib, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • At the same time, Waltz tried to flip the script and blame Goldberg -- suggesting the editor could have somehow wormed his way in to the group chat.
    Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Kirk says that when a cat experiences changes in air pressure, which can also happen while riding in a car, their ears may move or twitch in response.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
  • That ratio is naturally reversed here, though the director drops in a few snippets of the actual team near the beginning and the end, including a grainy, chilling shot of the real Lemons twitching near the ocean floor.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • This creeping groundcover thrives in dappled shade and is a good choice for the front of a perennial border or growing between trees and shrubs in a woodland garden.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Beyond that, temperatures will creep above normal into the weekend and early next week.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • How did Passover and Easter sneak up on us so fast?
    Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
  • But a better travel pillow does all that and sneaks an extra day’s worth of clothing onto the plane without catching a gate agent’s attention.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Pair them with your favorite bra top at the gym, and then toss on a slouchy tee or sweater after hours.
    Korin Miller, Glamour, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Pally was courtside for the game and subsequent medal ceremony when cameras caught Curry tossing up a Mr. Throwback reference — chubby cheeks — from the podium.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Moscow is particularly adept at what is known as hybrid warfare, a raft of tactics that can include targeting vital cables snaking along the seabed.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
  • On Tuesday night, 800 lucky Goose fans snaked they way through the Shed at Hudson Yards to enter a world where music and art fused in a swirling, electric dreamscape.
    Caroline Tell, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wriggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggle. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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