Meaning & use
squirmy
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Moving or twisting about continuously, especially because of restlessness or discomfort.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a squirmy child; the puppy was squirmy.
Patterns
- be squirmy
- feel squirmy
- a squirmy child
The toddler got squirmy after ten minutes in the car seat.
He felt squirmy and could not keep his legs still during the long assembly.
adjectivecomparableinformal
Causing a feeling of slight disgust or awkward embarrassment.
Grammar: Often used after a linking verb with a thing as the subject: the movie was squirmy.
Patterns
- something is squirmy
- a squirmy moment
- feel squirmy about something
The scene where the snake swallows the egg is a bit squirmy for young viewers.
She felt squirmy about reading his private messages.
Word forms
| comparative | squirmier |
|---|---|
| superlative | squirmiest |
Common combinations
- get squirmy
- The kids get squirmy when the lesson runs past their attention span.
- a squirmy feeling
- I had a squirmy feeling in my stomach before the interview.
- squirmy and restless
- By midnight the whole class was squirmy and restless.
- slightly squirmy
- The documentary is slightly squirmy but worth watching.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fidgety
- Focuses on small restless movements of the hands or body, while squirmy suggests more twisting and turning.
- wriggly
- Describes something that twists like a worm; it is more physical and less about feelings than squirmy.
- restless
- A broader word for being unable to stay still or calm; it does not carry the sense of disgust that squirmy can have.
Opposites
Word family
- squirm verb
- To twist the body from side to side, especially when uncomfortable.
- squirmingly adverb
- In a way that shows twisting or embarrassment; rare.
Commonly confused: squirmy or squeamish?
squirmy vs squeamish
Squeamish means easily upset by blood or disgusting things, while squirmy describes the restless movement or the uneasy feeling itself.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'squirmy' most naturally?
Choose one answer.
'Squirmy' is an adjective describing restless movement, so 'grew squirmy' fits. Option 1 wrongly describes hot soup, and options 3 and 4 use the adjective where an adverb or verb is needed.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “squirmy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.