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Glite Dictionary
wriggling

wriggling

3.4
Moving with small twisting and squirming movements like a worm
  • adjective
  • /ˈwrɪɡlɪŋ/
translation icon : retorcido
  • The worm was wriggling on the sidewalk after the rain, searching for soil.

Examples

  • The baby was wriggling in her crib, trying to reach for her toy.

  • She's on the floor wriggling and drooling and crying.

  • You have to try a live wiggling octopus and you have to try a penis fish, both of which can be found here in the seafood market.

  • He watched the wriggling fish in the aquarium, fascinated by their movements.

Synonyms

to twist
vswriggling
231 1.7

To turn something so it becomes a curved or spiral shape

is a continual squirming motion rather than a single or shaped turn
to wiggle
vswriggling
89 1.0

To move with small, quick movements from side to side or up and down

is larger continuous twisting or squirming rather than tiny quick moves
to snake
vswriggling
48 4.3

To move in a long, curving line

is more about repeated squirming twists rather than long smooth curves
to slither
vswriggling
35 4.3

To move smoothly and quietly like a snake along the ground

is twisting motion rather than smooth secret sliding
to worm
vswriggling
3 4.6

To move by twisting and wriggling to get through a small space

is continuous twisting motion that may be faster or varied
writhing
vswriggling
6.0

Moving by twisting and turning like a snake

is continuous twisting or squirming without extreme contortion
slithering
vswriggling
4.3

Moving smoothly and quietly like a snake

is twisting or squirming with more bending and visible movement

How Vigorous

to thrash
24 5.8
wriggling
3.4
to squirm
68 3.9
to wiggle
89 1.0
to twitch
66 2.8

Surface Forms

wriggling positive

Morphology

wriggling = wriggle (transparent) = wriggle + ing

The word 'wriggling' is transparently derived from 'wriggle' with the addition of the suffix '-ing', indicating a continuous action.

Etymology

The word wriggling comes from an old idea of twisting and is from the same root as wring, which means 'to twist', like when you wring a wet cloth. So to wriggle is to twist and squirm, like a worm or a child who cannot sit still.