verb
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to move with a wriggling motion; writhe
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to feel deep mental discomfort, guilt, embarrassment, etc
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of squirm
First recorded in 1685–95; of expressive origin, perhaps echoing worm
Explanation
To squirm is to wiggle or twist your body, the way an excited puppy will squirm when you try to hold him in your arms. Small children and animals squirm from excitement or eagerness, while uncomfortable adults also sometimes squirm: "She was so upset by her friends' argument that she started to squirm in her chair." When the word squirm first appeared in the 17th century, it was used specifically to talk about eels. Experts aren't sure of its roots, but some guess squirm is connected to worm or swarm.
Vocabulary lists containing squirm
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Instead, each of the three attempted to squirm out of a simple yes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
It would be easy to take Emma’s confession as a simple cinematic provocation, a tone-deaf narrative device intended to make viewers squirm in their seats.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
Eight years later, he’s back in office, and giving soccer fans eager to watch the tournament this summer good reasons to squirm.
From Slate • Jan. 28, 2026
And Mr. Stock’s Micah is sensitive to the point of seeming to squirm inside a constricted, wounded soul.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025
“It’s okay, though. Watching her squirm was better than the toadstool hair. She probably would start a trend. Or she’d at least enjoy all the attention.”
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
