waggle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wagglenext
as in flap
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down a quick waggle of her head to indicate "no"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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waggle

2 of 2

verb

ˈwa-gəl How to pronounce waggle (audio)
as in to flap
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions the rabbit waggled its ears and hopped away

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 waggle
Noun
One part of this process – the famous waggle dance – was discovered decades ago. — Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2011 Researchers found that the receivers of the dance weren’t just following the direction and distance indicated by the waggle dance. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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 When Kendal Sager lifts the top of her beehive, tens of thousands of bees waggle across the honeycomb — their cells filled with bright yellow, orange and pink pollen collected from flowers in Sager's neighborhood. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for waggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggle
  1. flap
  2. flick
  3. wag
  4. twitch
  5. switch
  6. swing
  7. wiggle
  8. swish
Noun
  • The life-size robotic elephants in Prasanth Prakashan's backyard workshop have ears that flap, tails that swish and trunks that squirt water.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • French forward Marcus Thuram carried a bright green suede maxi flap bag from a Chanel collaboration with Pharrell Williams, while Rayan Cherki carried an oversized Hermès Kelly Maxi.
    — Teddy Brown, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Definition of flap
Verb
  • After Florian Wirtz crossed in from the left side of the pitch, Kai Havertz got just enough of his head on the ball to flick it into the far side of the goal.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • After a corner kick and a nice cross, Sanchez flicked the ball in with his head as Colombian fans erupted.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 June 2026
Definition of flick
Noun
  • Ever since the infamous finger-wag at LSU, Clark has dominated Angel Reese.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
  • Moreover, if Griffin stepped into public life now, the cynical wags in finance would declare the reason obvious—his hedge fund’s returns have been sagging.
    — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Definition of wag
Verb
  • There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 June 2026
  • Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.
    — Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
Definition of twitch
Noun
  • This is an infuriating bait-and-switch case compounded by a gross disregard for public health and safety.
    — Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • Sabrina Carpenter debuted a rare hair switch-up at Dior Haute Couture show.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 6 July 2026
Definition of switch
Verb
  • Beat a prime Holloway at 170, though, and the door swings back open to the paydays he's chased since the rematch became official.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • To the fans who have watched the Warriors swing and miss on free agents and various trade targets over the last few years, watching Simons sign with another team was painful.
    — Nick Friedell, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of swing
Noun
  • Saints peppered Trick with punches in the corner, but Trick gave Ricky a little wiggle and answered with strikes of his own.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Swain boasts what feels like hours of film of unassisted buckets, with so much wiggle and creativity at his size.
    — The Athletic NBA Staff, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Definition of wiggle
Verb
  • This was supposed to be magic, swished in from waaaaay downtown.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026
  • Hilmon gave a contest from a distance, but Thornton swished a corner 3-pointer to open her night.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Definition of swish

Browse Nearby Words

waggishness
waggle
waggled
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on waggle

Nglish: Translation of waggle for Spanish Speakers

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