Squirmy

Describing someone or something that is restlessly fidgeting or wriggling, typically due to discomfort, nervousness, or excitement. It conveys a sense of unease or an inability to remain still. The word often suggests an involuntary physical response to an internal state. It can apply to both humans and animals, and even inanimate objects when described metaphorically. It highlights a lack of composure and control, often with an emphasis on a visible, physical manifestation of these feelings. squirmy implies a continuous, small-scale movement rather than a sudden, forceful action.

Squirmy meaning with examples

• The toddler, impatient for his ice cream, grew increasingly squirmy in his high chair, kicking his feet and waving his arms until his mother finally relented. The anticipation and sugar rush was setting in before the first spoonful.
• During the tense scene in the movie, the audience grew squirmy, shifting in their seats and avoiding eye contact with each other as the suspense built and built to a thrilling climax in the third act.
• The puppy, overwhelmed by all the new people, became squirmy in the children's arms, wriggling and trying to escape their enthusiastic hugs to get back to the safety of his bed.
• The politician, facing tough questions from the press, appeared squirmy, avoiding direct eye contact and fidgeting with his tie, betraying his discomfort and the uncomfortable subject matter.