squirm

intransitive-verb
UK: /skwɜːm/
US: /skwɝːm/

  1. To move from side to side in an awkward way, sometimes because of nervousness, embarrassment, or pain.

    1. The child began to squirm in his seat.
    2. She tried not to squirm as the doctor cleaned the wound on her arm.

  2. To feel very embarrassed or ashamed.

    1. I squirm when I think about the things I said.
    2. He would squirm with shame whenever anyone mentioned his past mistakes.

Synonyms

fidget wriggle writhe twitch jiggle
squirm transitive-verb

  1. To cause to feel embarrassment, discomfort, or shame.

    1. His comments made her squirm.
    2. The comedian's edgy jokes squirm the audience who were not ready for dark humor.
squirm noun

  1. A wriggling movement.

    1. With a squirm, the fish was free.
    2. The baby gave a little squirm, then settled down in my arms.

  2. A feeling of embarrassment or discomfort.

    1. I felt a squirm of guilt when I lied to my mother.
    2. The politician's evasive answers caused a squirm of unease in the crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "squirm" in English means: To move from side to side in an awkward way, sometimes because of nervousness, embarrassment, or pain., To feel very embarrassed or ashamed..

The phonetic transcription of "squirm" is /skwɜːm/ in British English and /skwɝːm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "squirm": fidget, wriggle, writhe, twitch, jiggle.

Example usage of "squirm": "The child began to squirm in his seat.". More examples on the page.