waggle 1 of 2

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

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
The silence of the forest might be interrupted with a siren salute from a passing law enforcement helicopter, or a wing waggle from firefighting aircraft passing en route to a fire. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2023 One part of this process – the famous waggle dance – was discovered decades ago. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2011
Verb
These massive mammals greet each other with a mix of gestures and sounds—by flapping their ears, making rumbling noises, waggling their tails and reaching out their trunks, scientists reported last week in the journal Communications Biology. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024 The observations revealed that elephants greeted one another with specific combinations of vocalizations and gestures, such as rumbles with ear-flapping or ear-spreading, as well as other seemingly less deliberate physical movements, such as tail-raising and waggling, according to the study. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 9 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for waggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggle
Noun
  • The edges push out his lip flaps, almost appearing uncomfortable.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
  • Nurses monitored the blood flow to the new flap every hour using a Doppler machine, which functions much like an ultrasound.
    Jordan Greene, People.com, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Whether due to devious marketing misdirection or just the viewer's first-time-watch naïveté, these flicks swerve in unexpected directions by snuffing out one of their prominent characters before the first or second act is even through.
    James Mercadante, EW.com, 23 July 2025
  • Johan Vásquez flicked the restart across the goal mouth and Álvarez burst past the defense, redirecting the ball from three yards just inside Matt Freese’s far post.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • In the TikTok video Tiffany shared, the moment the two dogs met again involved some sniffs, playful roughhousing and plenty of tail wags.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
  • Our portion of the state was so ignored that some of the local wags were calling for a new state called Forgottonia.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Buzzing, tingling, burning, twitching, itching or pain, along with a sensation of arousal.
    Linda Carroll, NBC news, 6 July 2025
  • The fearful pup stepped out to greet her, his tail twitching—his first show of trust in a long time.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • With these new changes in the interest of reliability, Microsoft will likely hope that Windows 10 users decide to make the switch even as the ESU Wizard rolls out to devices.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • The Swede’s agent also waived his commission to help the switch, while he is set to sign a five-year contract.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently suggested the Houston Astros could swing a blockbuster trade deadline deal for Miami Marlins hurler Edward Cabrera in the coming days.
    Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
  • Never did Nick Kurtz consider this, not as a young boy learning to swing left-handed in Lancaster, Pa., or during the charmed collegiate career that catapulted him into baseball’s consciousness.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 26 July 2025
Noun
  • The volume and power buttons are flat, tactile, and very stable, with no discernible wiggle.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 July 2025
  • When putting stress on the Switch 2 by holding the entire unit by the Joy-Con, there was wiggle there that wasn’t present when the Dbrand grip wasn’t installed.
    Anthony Karcz, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Later, once an Osaka restaurant began serving the dish, the name was shortened to shabu-shabu, which imitates the sound of meat swishing through the hot broth.
    Yukari Sakamoto, AFAR Media, 12 June 2025
  • The ball stayed in the air for what felt like 10 seconds and swished through the net.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Waggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggle. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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