# wiggle

/ˈwɪɡəɫ/ (US) · /wˈɪɡəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wiggle
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to move side to side

verb · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: to move with small, irregular, back-and-forth or side-to-side motions. Often used both transitively and intransitively.

- The little boy wiggled his loose tooth with his tongue to see if it would fall out.
- She wiggled her toes in the warm sand, enjoying the sensation of the sun on her skin after a long winter.

Usage: The verb can be used with an object (wiggle your toes) or without one (the tooth wiggled).

### 2. a small movement

noun · CEFR B2

a small, quick movement from side to side.

For teachers: a single act of wiggling; a rapid, often irregular movement in alternating opposite directions.

- With a little wiggle, the key finally turned in the old rusty lock.
- The puppy gave a happy wiggle of its entire body when its owner finally returned home from work.

## Examples

- Can you wiggle your toes inside your shoes?
- The child tried to wiggle her loose tooth with her tongue to see if it would fall out.
- The puppy began to wiggle its entire body with excitement the moment it saw its owner reach for the leash by the front door.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.