squiggle

1 of 2

verb

squig·​gle ˈskwi-gəl How to pronounce squiggle (audio)
squiggled; squiggling ˈskwi-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce squiggle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: squirm, wriggle
squiggling in her seat
2
: to write or paint hastily : scribble

transitive verb

1
2
: to form or cause to form in squiggles

squiggle

2 of 2

noun

: a short wavy twist or line : curlicue
especially : an illegible scrawl
squiggly adjective

Examples of squiggle in a Sentence

Verb a pediatrician's waiting room full of squiggling toddlers there are some illegible notes squiggled in the margins of the old book Noun His handwriting looks like a bunch of squiggles.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
The six dancers in bright blues and greens (a seventh, originally Brown, appears at the beginning and the end) ripple and squiggle through space, intersecting and occasionally aligning, ricocheting and weaving. Roslyn Sulcas, New York Times, 1 May 2025 Breaking water in the morning and shoulders squiggling free in the dark of evening. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
Not caring about photorealistic imagery Chic books have abstract cover designs — dots, squiggles, stars, oh my! Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 May 2025 And boy, was our little squiggle game humbling too! Michael Alcée, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for squiggle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

blend of squirm and wriggle

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1816, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of squiggle was circa 1816

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Cite this Entry

“Squiggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squiggle. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

squiggle

noun
squig·​gle
ˈskwig-əl
: a short wavy twist or line : curlicue

More from Merriam-Webster on squiggle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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