as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements
the toddler squirmed the whole time we were in the waiting room
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in squirming
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of squirm
Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2024
The pediatric dentist must use his or her unique expertise to make split-second decisions when a six-year-old child is squirming in the chair.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Lauren Goode: At this point, Zuckerberg is squirming in his seat.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
Other images showed Frankel, who wore a red beanie, kissing their newborn daughter as Sidibe rested her head on his shoulder, carrying their squirming baby boy.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for squirm 
Verb
Photo: Larry Malvin Photography Town officials squirmed, anticipating public reaction.
—Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2024
The pediatric dentist must use his or her unique expertise to make split-second decisions when a six-year-old child is squirming in the chair.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Lauren Goode: At this point, Zuckerberg is squirming in his seat.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
Other images showed Frankel, who wore a red beanie, kissing their newborn daughter as Sidibe rested her head on his shoulder, carrying their squirming baby boy.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for squirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirm
Verb
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Acknowledge Vulnerabilities Vulnerability often hides behind subtle cues, such as a hesitant tone, fidgeting hands, or a shift in demeanor, signaling feelings of uncertainty, fear, or self-consciousness.Mark Travers, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
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Recruiters advise paying attention to your facial and body language and refraining from slouching, fidgeting and a limp handshake that can convey a lack of confidence.Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Verb
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As the omen begins to descend onto Karen’s house, the hairs of the mermaids’ arms stand up; their scales twitch in fear.Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2024
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Not the American economy, which twitched from panic to triumph to panic and, in 1907, had to be bailed out with private funds from Morgan and his associates.Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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DiVincenzo stood in place for a brief period after the horn sounded, tossing his arms up once more.Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2025
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Trump has tossed expansionist rhetoric not just at Canada but also at other U.S. allies, with arguments that the frontiers of American power need to be extended to the Danish territory of Greenland, and southward to include the Panama Canal.Jim Morris, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Previously the two were able to disable brakes, honk the horn, jerk the seat belt, and control the steering wheel using a laptop in the back of both a Toyota Prius and Ford Escape.David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
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Dad nodded his approval again and the kid did as instructed, reflexively jerking his hand away as the starter began to churn the 117-cubic inch motor.William Roberson, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Smoke contains microscopic particles known as PM 2.5 because the PM (particulate matter) measures 2.5 microns or less—small enough to easily wiggle its way into our lungs and then into our bloodstreams.Kylie Mohr, WIRED, 4 Jan. 2025
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To start, hold the plant’s stems with one hand and use your other hand to wiggle the pot free using a gentle, twisting and lifting motion.Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
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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
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Such is always the case with this sort of self-interested fiddling.Eric Gordy, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2018
Verb
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Shortly after injecting the substance, Sparkle (Demi Moore, who just picked up her first-ever Golden Globe for the role) is writhing on her bathroom floor.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Jan. 2025
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Ivey immediately fell to the ground and was writhing in pain, even grabbing a referee’s leg in discomfort at one point.Hunter Patterson, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But to get back to our main story, the episode closes with Rowan gently dumping the corpse of the girl Lasher killed in a large body of water amidst much fog and trembling hands.Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
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When Burke tries to speak about the emotional effect of the initiative, his voice trembles.Alaa Elassar, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near squirm
Cite this Entry
“Squirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squirm. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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