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 After wriggling away from pressure, Watkins’ strike deflected off Schar and past Nick Pope in goal. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025 Once beside them, the cat gently licked and sniffed the tiny, wriggling kittens before settling down protectively. Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 Unable to see, the confused pup wriggled and struggled before her owner came to the rescue. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 For the Creepers’ wriggling insides, the team looked at underwater sea creatures, squid and even the deep sea variants. Abigail Lee, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wriggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggle
Verb
  • But Carney squirmed a bit as Trump riffed on his contentious plan for the U.S. to gobble up Canada.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
  • The cardinals are sworn to secrecy, though a few details have inevitably squirmed outside through the chapel walls over the years.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The woman crawled to her bathroom and pulled the emergency cord, then the facility staff called 911, deputies said.
    Olivia Lloyd, Sun Sentinel, 22 May 2025
  • Here, 15 of the softest sheets that will convince you that crawling into bed at 9 p.m. is equivalent to self-care.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Some shower caps use materials that can allow a certain amount of water to worm its way through, which entirely defeats the purpose of wearing the cap in the first place.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
  • The pair share a complicated relationship from the early episodes of Season 1, where Sauron, disguised as a helpless traveler, wormed his way into her heart and good graces.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • An input lag of 4.6 milliseconds in the TV's dedicated Game mode is speedy enough for twitch reflexes, and the panel refreshes at 120Hz and supports variable refresh rates.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
  • The sight of his twitching arm, middle finger raised, is a fun touch to an otherwise-underwhelming send-off.
    Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • For years, the Birch Glacier has been creeping down the mountainside, pressured by shifting debris near the summit.
    Dave Graham, Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2025
  • Despite this, his ownership didn’t creep over the 10 per cent mark until the period around Newcastle’s Double Gameweek 32, with his brace against Leicester City in Gameweek 31 a particular highlight for my season, providing my biggest rank jump of the run-in.
    Holly Shand, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • But eventually, the neighbor realized Mystery had been sneaking out against his wishes, as Mystery is an indoor cat only.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
  • The Pacers, meanwhile, have solidified themselves as title contenders after sneaking their way into the conference finals last year.
    Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Grapevine blanks Lubbock-Cooper for series lead Grapevine pitcher Luke Esquivel tossed a gem in Game 1 as the Mustangs shut out Lubbock-Cooper 4-0 in a Class 5A Division II regional final on Friday, May 23, at Brownwood High School.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 May 2025
  • When serving, toss together individual portions and top with a few sliced cherry tomatoes.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • It’s carved from a snaking mulberry branch and adorned with microchips, with a C.P.U. fan and a small desk clock embedded in the smoothly polished wood near its head.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 May 2025
  • The time-lapse video shows a plasmoid snaking across the sun at almost 62 miles (100 kilometers) per second.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wriggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggle. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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