waffle

1 of 3

noun (1)

waf·​fle ˈwä-fəl 

ˈwȯ-

: a crisp cake of batter baked in a waffle iron

waffle

2 of 3

verb

waffled; waffling ˈwä-f(ə-)liŋ 

ˈwȯ-

intransitive verb

1

: equivocate, vacillate

waffled on the important issues

also : yo-yo, flip-flop

2

: to talk or write foolishly : blather

… can waffle … tiresomely off the point …

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

waffler

ˈwä-f(ə-)lər 

ˈwȯ-

noun

waffle

3 of 3

noun (2)

: empty or pretentious words : tripe

Synonyms of waffle

Verb

• weasel
• shake

Examples of waffle in a Sentence

Verb

she waffled when asked what she thought of her sister's new boyfriend

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The dessert chain has an expansive menu that includes cakes, crêpes, freshly made Belgium waffles, funnel cakes and hot and iced drinks. — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026

Coveted models from the likes of Rolex and Patek Philippe are still driving the secondary market, though, even as the price of gold continues to waffle. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 July 2026

Verb

The tournament’s special status — its unwillingness to place any person above the sport — is part of why Williams wanted to play singles, not just doubles with her sister Venus, after waffling on the decision. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 30 June 2026

Trump continued to waffle as to what could come next—even suggesting a resumption of the bombing campaign if Iran does not comply, a threat that few take seriously. — Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Dutch wafel, from Middle Dutch wafele; akin to Old High German waba honeycomb, Old English wefan to weave

Verb

frequentative of obsolete woff to yelp, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1744, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing waffle

• Belgian waffle
• waffle iron

Rhymes for waffle

• awful
• lawful
• offal
• unlawful

Kids Definition

waffle

1 of 2 noun

waf·​fle ˈwäf-əl 

ˈwȯf-

: a crisp cake with an indented crust made by cooking batter in a waffle iron

waffle

2 of 2 verb

waffled; waffling

1

: to be unable or unwilling to be clear about choices or opinions

also : to make a sudden reversal (as of policy)

2

British : to talk or write a lot without saying anything important