squirm

[skwurm]

See more synonyms for squirm on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to wriggle or writhe.
to feel or display discomfort or distress, as from reproof, embarrassment, pain, etc.: He squirmed under the judge's questioning.

noun

the act of squirming; a squirming or wriggling movement.

Origin of squirm

First recorded in 1685–95; of expressive orig., perhaps echoing worm

Related formssquirm·er, nounsquirm·ing·ly, adverbun·squirm·ing, adjective

Synonyms for squirm

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1. turn, twist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for squirming

flounder, writhe, twist, agonize, shift, skew, wriggle, squiggle, toss, wind, worm

Examples from the Web for squirming

Contemporary Examples of squirming

Netanyahu, despite all his squirming, is no longer the boss.
How Bibi Stopped Being King
J. J. Goldberg
March 6, 2013
A brief struggle ensues as several officers attempt to subdue a squirming Grant, his hands behind his back.
‘Fruitvale Station,’ Sundance’s Hottest Film, Comes to Theaters
Marlow Stern
January 22, 2013
In December, he was compelled to sign onto the Ryan budget plan after months of squirming to avoid it.
Romney: Too Weak?
David Frum
July 15, 2012
And to kill them, well, forget the slaughter house—just pop a bag of squirming crickets in the freezer.
Forget the Starbucks Backlash—We Should Be Eating More Bugs
Daniel Stone
April 24, 2012
That left Mitt in the spotlight, squirming about his tax returns.
Daily Beast Contributors Weigh In on NBC Republican Debate in Tampa
January 24, 2012

Historical Examples of squirming

She could remember her, squirming and spluttering in her high nursery chair.
Life and Death of Harriett Frean
May Sinclair
A mother does not have to learn to love her helpless, squirming brood.
Johnny Bear
E. T. Seton
The sack rose and fell as if something under it was squirming about convulsively.
Out of the Depths
Robert Ames Bennet
The bags these women were emptying on the tables were squirming masses of life.
Mayflower (Flor de mayo)
Vicente Blasco Ibez
Squirming and crawling about from place to place can do no good.
The Story of Young Abraham Lincoln
Wayne Whipple

British Dictionary definitions for squirming

squirm

verb (intr)

to move with a wriggling motion; writhe
to feel deep mental discomfort, guilt, embarrassment, etc

noun

a squirming movement

Derived Formssquirmer, nounsquirming, adjectivesquirmingly, adverb

Word Origin for squirm

C17: of imitative origin (perhaps influenced by worm)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for squirming

squirm

1690s, originally referring to eels, of unknown origin; sometimes associated with worm or swarm, but perhaps rather imitative. Related: Squirmed; squirming.