WordGarden.iosquiggly
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /skwˈɪɡli/
US
- /skwˈɪɡli/
Meanings
Adjective
having many small bends, curves, or wiggles rather than being straight
used of a wavy line, underline, bracket, or similar mark in writing, typography, or software
Beyond the definition
Imagine a line that wiggles across the page - that's squiggly! The word "squiggly" describes lines or shapes that are not straight, but instead bend, twist, or curl in an uneven way. A child might draw squiggly lines when first learning to write, or you might see a squiggly path through a garden. It often suggests something playful or informal, like doodles, curls of smoke, or the shape of lightning. It can also describe handwriting if the letters look loose, messy, or full of loops.
"Squiggly" is an adjective used for something that has a lot of little curves, twists, or bends instead of being straight or smooth. It comes from the noun and verb "squiggle," which refer to a twisting mark or a line made with quick, loose movements. The word is common in everyday English and often has a light, playful feeling.
You might describe a child's drawing as having squiggly lines, or notice a squiggly pattern on a piece of fabric. A road, path, or river can also be called squiggly if it winds and turns instead of going in a straight direction. The word is often used for visual things, especially lines, marks, shapes, handwriting, and patterns.
The exact feeling depends on the context. A "squiggly signature" may suggest that the writing is hard to read, while a "squiggly line on a graph" simply describes a line that moves up and down in a curvy way. The word is usually descriptive rather than strongly positive or negative, though it can sound friendly, childish, or slightly messy depending on the situation.
So, if something looks full of wiggles and bends rather than clean straight lines, "squiggly" is often the right word for it.
Examples
- 1
Child drawing
The child drew a fish with big squiggly fins.
- 2
Handwriting
I couldn't read his squiggly handwriting.
- 3
Spellcheck
There's a red squiggly line under that word, so I think I spelled it wrong.
- Phrasered squiggly line
the line a computer shows under a possible mistake
- 4
Mountain road
We drove along a squiggly mountain road for nearly an hour.
See also
Forms and spellings
3 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- squigglyadjective
Forms
- squiggliercomparativeadjective
- squiggliestsuperlativeadjective