wriggling 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wrigglingnext
as in writhing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wriggling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wriggle
1
as in squirming
to make jerky or restless movements a toddler wriggling in his seat all throughout the church service

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crawling
to move slowly with the body close to the ground a worm slowly wriggled across the sidewalk

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggling
  1. infiltrating
  2. creeping
  3. inserting
  4. fiddling
  5. tossing
  6. slipping
  7. slithering
  8. winding
Verb
  • These are much more favorable matchups because the Rams and Buccaneers are not as good as the Eagles and because Packers fans might have an easier time infiltrating SoFi Stadium or Raymond James Stadium.
    Adam Gretz, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
  • His order cites congressional and counterintelligence reports outlining threats posed by the PRC, CCP, and other foreign adversaries, including Chinese spies allegedly infiltrating the New York governor’s office.
    Bethany Blankley | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Dec. 2024
Definition of infiltrating
Verb
  • Invasive plants also spread quickly in multiple ways, such as by seeds, creeping stems and roots, or fruits eaten by birds and dropped elsewhere.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Another sign of creeping fatigue?
    Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Definition of creeping
Verb
  • Many focused on inserting individual flowers into small tubes filled with water and then neatly placing each vial, one by one, onto the floats.
    Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 31 Dec. 2024
  • In Netanyahu’s case, because the prostate is not cancerous, Golan said doctors were likely performing an endoscopic surgery, carried out by inserting small instruments into a body cavity, rather than making surgical cuts in the abdomen to reach the prostate.
    Tia Goldenberg, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2024
Definition of inserting
Noun
  • The fiddling pays off when the fresh herb vinaigrette dresses a mix of Iceberg lettuce and one of the mixed greens combos sold in the marketplace.
    Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Such is always the case with this sort of self-interested fiddling.
    Eric Gordy, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2018
Definition of fiddling
Verb
  • After three consecutive drives ended in a punt following Rodgers’ interception, the 41-year-old led the Jets down the field, tossing his first touchdown pass since Week 16 and the 500th of his career.
    C. Isaiah Smalls II, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Before tossing them in the trash, check in with your local homeless shelter, food pantry, or other non-profit as these organizations often have need for travel-sized toiletries.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of tossing
Verb
  • Harrison took Georgia’s second-half kickoff all the way to the end zone, slipping a tackle near the middle of the field, cutting toward the right sideline and outrunning everyone.
    Brett Martel, The Denver Post, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Richardson failed at the first one; nailed the second, and was slipping on #3.
    Scott Powers, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Definition of slipping
Verb
  • Employees of a store in the Aloha State were in for a slithering surprise after a two-foot snake was found inside a shipping container of Christmas trees sent to the island.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2024
  • The world's largest slithering snake is sure to send a tingle down your spine.
    Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 12 Nov. 2024
Definition of slithering
Verb
  • While most of Tyre’s 125,000 residents fled during the war, the city’s Christian quarter, nestled alongside the harbor with its winding alleyways, was one of the few neighborhoods where some people remained.
    Euan Ward, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024
  • For those who find stairs challenging, there’s a winding dirt path that will also take you to the top.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of winding
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near wriggling

wriggles

wriggling

wriggly

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Cite this Entry

“Wriggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggling. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wriggling

Nglish: Translation of wriggling for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of wriggling for Arabic Speakers

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