toddle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
toddles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
toddled,
past participle, past
-
toddling
present participle
noun
-
the act of toddling.
-
an unsteady gait.
verb
-
to walk with short unsteady steps, as a child does when learning to walk
-
humorous (foll by off) to depart
-
humorous to stroll; amble
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
toddlesimple
-
toddlessimple
-
have toddledperfect
-
has toddledperfect
-
am toddlingprogressive
-
are toddlingprogressive
-
is toddlingprogressive
-
have been toddlingperfect progressive
-
has been toddlingperfect progressive
Past
-
toddledsimple
-
had toddledperfect
-
was toddlingprogressive
-
were toddlingprogressive
-
had been toddlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of toddle
Explanation
When you toddle, you wobble a bit on your legs as you walk. It's most common to see very small children toddle around. A baby who's just learned how to walk can be said to toddle, staggering a little on short legs. The littlest kids at preschool still tend to toddle around their classroom, somewhat unsteady on their feet. The verb toddle comes from a Scottish word whose origin isn't known — the earliest meaning was "to play." The noun toddler comes from toddle, and it means "child just learning to walk."
Vocabulary lists containing toddle
Endangered
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Where the Watermelons Grow
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
No Vacancy
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“She had immense power, but she was perfectly happy to toddle around in the kitchen, making everyone coffee and being the grandmother,” Mirren said.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2023
Beckham watched his son, Zydn, toddle outside an auditorium before he walked in.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 2023
When she was younger, Malaya Majam-Finch would toddle into the living room of her grandparents’ quaint house in La Mirada and find, essentially, an open-air trophy case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2023
"Seeing how they were so heavy handed we thought, shall we toddle off to Truro Crown Court and take them to court."
From BBC ● May 13, 2022
From then on, every afternoon, as soon as her mother had left for bingo, Matilda would toddle down to the library.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
She keeps busy taking care of Varvara, now 2, who toddles everywhere with no fear and loves British chocolate.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 18, 2023
My youngest happily toddles alongside them, though she has no friends closer to her own age.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2020
She scrambles from my arms and toddles fast and fearlessly into the surf.
From Salon ● Feb. 1, 2019
Back on the ground, take a trip back in time aboard an Electriquette—a battery-powered wicker cart that toddles along at 3 mph.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2016
In all the confusion, a kid who looks like a kindergartener toddles around the corner.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
On a recent morning, a 16-month-old boy toddled up a small embankment to touch wind chimes hanging from trees.
From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2024
My brother’s lungs were formed in West Louisville, where he toddled on plump baby legs toward all the people who loved him.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2024
And so every weekday morning, a stream of little research subjects toddled off of a school bus, into the lab.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 26, 2023
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The trade began to hit Von Miller as he toddled past the photo gallery of great moments that decorate the Denver Broncos headquarters.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 1, 2021
Mushie threw up his arms, and the little baby toddled over, climbing up his belly so she rested up near his neck.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
Belatedly spotting her, and 14-month-old son Bennett, who was toddling on to the green, Scheffler's typically muted response changed.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2025
These are exactly what they sound like: reels of A.I.–rendered babies dressed in cute little costumes, with giant eyes and smiling mouths, toddling down a runway.
From Slate ● Dec. 28, 2024
The players’ kids toddling around the locker room receive the lesson as soon as possible.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2024
His power is not merely confined to his toddling whimsy or our longstanding friendship with him.
From Salon ● Feb. 3, 2024
She could imagine Maya toddling after her, annoying her, pulling her hair and borrowing her clothes without asking first.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
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.
