wriggle
5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for wriggle, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To twist and turn the body with quick, small movements; to squirm.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use wriggle
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From wrig + -le (frequentative suffix). Compare Dutch wriggelen (“to wriggle, squirm”), Low German wriggeln (“to wriggle”). Related to Old English wrigian (“to turn, wend, hie, go move”), from Proto-Germanic *wrigōną (“to wriggle”).
Full origin of wriggle →Frequently asked questions
What does “wriggle” mean?
The word “wriggle” means to twist and turn the body with quick, small movements; to squirm. In plain terms, to twist and squirm, or to cleverly avoid a duty or blame.
How do you pronounce “wriggle”?
“Wriggle” is pronounced RIH-guhl (/ˈɹɪɡəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “wriggle” in a sentence?
Here is “wriggle” used in a sentence: “The puppy wriggled out of her arms and ran off.”
What part of speech is “wriggle”?
“Wriggle” is a verb.
How many meanings does “wriggle” have?
“Wriggle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to twist and turn the body with quick, small movements; to squirm.