jiggling 1 of 3

as in shaking
a series of slight movements by a body back and forth or from side to side the nerve-rattling jiggling we got when we drove over the railroad tracks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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jiggling

2 of 3

adjective

jiggling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of jiggle

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jiggling
Noun
Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling. Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Bouncing, jiggling, jumping, or shaking could increase the sensation of having to go to the bathroom. Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026 The thermal jiggling of atoms is a constant threat to the precision needed for detailed calculations. Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026 In a nutshell, thermodynamic computing seeks to harness thermal noise—the ubiquitous microscopic jiggling of electrons caused by heat—to execute useful computation. Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
Adjective
Its apparently smooth screen quickly dissolves into a jiggling lattice of molecules, which in turn resolve into clouds of electrons buzzing around atomic nuclei. Quanta Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026 Every part of me that can jiggle is now jiggling. Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025 Some office workers recommend purchasing a mouse-jiggling device that keeps the cursor moving so you’re not dinged for idle time. Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
There is a difference between a teacher calming walking students through the procedure, versus having a police officer in tactical gear pounding on the door or jiggling the handle to check if it is locked. James Densley, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026 Young Michael has little confidence and goes through the motions of performance, not so much dancing as jiggling in place. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 21 Apr. 2026 In our everyday world, particles are always jiggling and rotating due to their thermal energy. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026 Then, using lasers, the researchers chilled the atoms to near absolute zero to stop them from jiggling. Paul Sutter, Space.com, 18 Jan. 2026 Some employees are guilty of coffee badging, or even jiggling their mouses to look active while working remotely. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025 Video shows the trio standing ominously in the front yard before taking turns ringing the bell, knocking on the door and, at one point, jiggling its handle. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jiggling
Noun
  • The strongest shaking is concentrated around the epicenter northwest of Cali and extends toward the Pacific coast, while weaker shaking spreads toward Medellín, Bogotá and surrounding regions.
    Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Residents described an intense and prolonged shaking that triggered alarms and forced widespread evacuations.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The cheesecake rises like a souffle, with a jiggly center and a beautiful brown crust.
    Amisha Gurbani, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Place the pie on the heated stone or skillet and bake until the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly, 40 to 50 minutes.
    Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Stuttering lines, on the left, jerking up and down, denote the rattle of guns; on the right, the lines are all but flat, as silence descends.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Logan Howlett, got a tear-jerking send-off in James Mangold’s Logan.
    Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • Following this concern, 55% of parents said their top concern was their child’s ability to complete multistep tasks such as homework while 45% of parents cited fidgeting.
    Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The current boom is driven by Gen Z’s openness about mental health, social-commerce virality on TikTok and Etsy, and a broader nervous-system regulation movement that treats fidgeting as a legitimate coping tool rather than a bad habit.
    Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Casting near banks and using a twitching technique can increase success during the hatch.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
  • During this phase, octopuses display visible twitching along with rapid changes in skin color and texture, per NPR.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Each state has its own system, and many are rickety or verging on obsolescence.
    Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • For years, many ​of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden ​boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, ‌in ⁠a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • These seemingly innocuous incidents attain new significance as they’re revisited alongside a slow crescendo that suddenly turns to shuddering piano chords on the track’s bridge.
    Nick Ayres DeMasi, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
  • Choose Baits with Vibration Lipless crankbaits earn their keep each spring, as their shuddering motion creates the bait-mimicking tremors to which bass respond.
    David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Attacks every inch of the field Operating in an up-tempo version of the Air Raid, Mestemaker is a tall, fluid passer who isn’t shy tossing it all over the yard.
    Dane Brugler, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • That skirmish ended with multiple Saints players pushing Ezeiruaku to the ground and Saints offensive lineman Erik McCoy tossing Ezeiruaku’s helmet to the other side of the field.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Jiggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jiggling. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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