wriggle

1 of 2

verb

wrig·​gle ˈri-gəl 

wriggled; wriggling ˈri-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to move the body or a bodily part to and fro with short writhing motions like a worm : squirm

2

: to move or advance by twisting and turning

3

: to extricate or insinuate oneself or reach a goal as if by wriggling

transitive verb

1

: to cause to move in short quick contortions

2

: to introduce, insinuate, or bring into a state or place by or as if by wriggling

wriggly

ˈri-g(ə-)lē 

adjective

wriggle

2 of 2

noun

1

: a short or quick writhing motion or contortion

2

: a formation or marking of sinuous design

Synonyms

Verb

• fiddle
• fidget
• jerk
• jig
• jiggle
• squiggle
• squirm
• thrash
• thresh
• toss
• twist
• twitch
• wiggle
• writhe

Examples of wriggle in a Sentence

Verb

The children wriggled and squirmed in their chairs.

She managed to wriggle free of her ropes.

They wriggled out of their wet clothes.

I had trouble getting the wriggling fish off my hook.

The snake wriggled across the path and went underneath a bush.

He was able to wriggle through the narrow opening.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Photo: Adrian Nina Ormerod’s splash of pink tulle reflects a wider trend for tinted veils that has proliferated in alternative corners of the Western wedding sphere, where women aren’t robbed of £50 for a warm glass of Prosecco and the privilege of wriggling into a grubby one-size-fits-all sample. —Alice Newbold, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024

In fighting to keep the play alive, though, the Bears quarterback wriggled free but was ultimately smothered 7 yards further back — by Daron Payne at the Washington 40. —Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024

Noun

Clean, simple things are made of an endless wriggle of parts. —Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024

The court date, originally been set for June 18, will be pushed back by an as-yet undetermined number of days to allow Diamond a little extra wriggle room to secure a new carriage deal with Comcast. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from or akin to Middle Low German wriggeln to wriggle; akin to Old English wrigian to turn — more at wry

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1709, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wriggle

• wriggle out of

Kids Definition

wriggle

1 of 2 verb

wrig·​gle ˈrig-əl 

wriggled; wriggling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to twist or move to and fro like a worm : squirm

wriggle in one's chair

wriggle one's toes

2

: to move along by twisting and turning

the eel wriggled its way upstream

wriggle

2 of 2 noun

1

: a short or quick twisting motion

2

: a formation or marking having a winding or twisting course or appearance