waggle

1 of 2

verb

wag·​gle ˈwa-gəl How to pronounce waggle (audio)
waggled; waggling ˈwa-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce waggle (audio)
Synonyms of wagglenext

intransitive verb

: to reel, sway, or move from side to side : wag

transitive verb

: to move frequently one way and the other : wag
waggly
ˈwa-g(ə-)lē How to pronounce waggle (audio)
adjective

waggle

2 of 2

noun

1
: an instance of waggling : a jerky motion back and forth or up and down
2
: a preliminary swinging of a golf club head back and forth over the ball before the swing

Synonyms of waggle

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Verb

Noun

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Examples of waggle in a Sentence

Verb He can waggle his ears. He can make his ears waggle. Noun a quick waggle of her head to indicate “no”
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The crimson tips of giant tube worms waggled in the current, tangling around clusters of mussels. — Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 2 May 2025 While the Wii’s motion controls were fun, not every player wanted to get up and waggle, and not every developer wanted to build their game around that. — New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
One part of this process – the famous waggle dance – was discovered decades ago. — Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2011 The younger Yaz’s pre-swing bat waggle was the topic, hitting coach Justin Viele said. — Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for waggle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

frequentative of wag entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

circa 1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of waggle was in 1588

Rhymes for waggle

See All Rhymes for waggle

Browse Nearby Words

waggish
waggle
waggle dance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waggle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

waggle

verb
wag·​gle
ˈwag-əl
waggled; waggling
-(ə-)liŋ
: wag entry 1
waggle noun

More from Merriam-Webster on waggle

Nglish: Translation of waggle for Spanish Speakers

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