jiggling 1 of 3

noun

as in shaking
a series of slight movements by a body back and forth or from side to side the nerve-rattling jiggling we got when we drove over the railroad tracks

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jiggling

2 of 3

adjective

as in jiggly

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Dissimilar Words

jiggling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of jiggle
1
as in jerking
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements the gelatin salad continued to jiggle after she set it on the table

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in fidgeting
to make jerky or restless movements the applicant's knees constantly jiggled, betraying her nervousness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of jiggling
Noun
The merging and jiggling sends ripples called gravitational waves cascading outward through the fabric of the universe and to detectors here on Earth. — Matt Von Hippel, Quanta Magazine, 27 Aug. 2025 In a nutshell, thermodynamic computing seeks to harness thermal noise—the ubiquitous microscopic jiggling of electrons caused by heat—to execute useful computation. — Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
Adjective
Every part of me that can jiggle is now jiggling. — Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025 Some office workers recommend purchasing a mouse-jiggling device that keeps the cursor moving so you’re not dinged for idle time. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025 Its apparently smooth screen quickly dissolves into a jiggling lattice of molecules, which in turn resolve into clouds of electrons buzzing around atomic nuclei. — Quanta Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
Then, using lasers, the researchers chilled the atoms to near absolute zero to stop them from jiggling. — Paul Sutter, Space.com, 18 Jan. 2026 Young Michael has little confidence and goes through the motions of performance, not so much dancing as jiggling in place. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 21 Apr. 2026 Video shows the trio standing ominously in the front yard before taking turns ringing the bell, knocking on the door and, at one point, jiggling its handle. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025 Some employees are guilty of coffee badging, or even jiggling their mouses to look active while working remotely. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025 In our everyday world, particles are always jiggling and rotating due to their thermal energy. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026 There is a difference between a teacher calming walking students through the procedure, versus having a police officer in tactical gear pounding on the door or jiggling the handle to check if it is locked. — James Densley, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jiggling
  1. shaking
  2. jiggly
  3. jerking
  4. fidgeting
  5. twitching
  6. rickety
  7. shuddering
  8. tossing
Noun
  • Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
    — CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • When the shaking subsided, Perez could not reach her nephew, or his wife, by phone.
    — Joshua Partlow, The Atlantic, 30 June 2026
Definition of shaking
Adjective
  • The cheesecake rises like a souffle, with a jiggly center and a beautiful brown crust.
    — Amisha Gurbani, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Place the pie on the heated stone or skillet and bake until the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly, 40 to 50 minutes.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of jiggly
Verb
  • Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.
    — Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
  • Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026
Definition of jerking
Verb
  • In addition to having lofty themes, this is also a fairly rousing adventure with enough visual panache to keep any kid from fidgeting in his seat.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 June 2026
  • Pekara said hospital surveillance footage captured him fidgeting under the blanket.
    — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of fidgeting
Noun
  • Casting near banks and using a twitching technique can increase success during the hatch.
    — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
  • During this phase, octopuses display visible twitching along with rapid changes in skin color and texture, per NPR.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of twitching
Adjective
  • For years, many ​of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden ​boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, ‌in ⁠a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Your sunnies should be comfortable and durable, not rickety!
    — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of rickety
Verb
  • These seemingly innocuous incidents attain new significance as they’re revisited alongside a slow crescendo that suddenly turns to shuddering piano chords on the track’s bridge.
    — Nick Ayres DeMasi, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
  • Choose Baits with Vibration Lipless crankbaits earn their keep each spring, as their shuddering motion creates the bait-mimicking tremors to which bass respond.
    — David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
Definition of shuddering
Verb
  • Roughly chop the smashed cucumbers before tossing them with the vinaigrette.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026
  • Paula quickly gets rid of the gun, tossing it in the garbage of the police station bathroom, but pockets the flash drive.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Definition of tossing

Browse Nearby Words

jiggles
jiggling
jiggly
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Cite this Entry

“Jiggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jiggling. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on jiggling

Nglish: Translation of jiggling for Spanish Speakers

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