waddle
Computer-generated voice, not a recording. It may differ from the pronunciation guide.
In short
To waddle is to walk with short steps while the body sways from side to side. A waddle is that kind of walk. The word can describe people as well as animals.
What does waddle mean?
Waddle as a verb and a noun
The verb describes a walk with short steps and a side-to-side sway. The noun names the gait itself.
Animals can waddle, and so can people. The movement, rather than the species, is the important part of the definition.
Is waddling the same as wading?
No. The words are historically connected, but their present meanings differ. Waddling describes the gait; wading commonly describes making progress through water or another substance that resists movement.
Waddle vs. wattle
Waddle has a d and describes movement. Wattle has a t and can refer to a fleshy part around a bird’s head or neck. A quotation or automatically collected example should not be used to erase the distinction.
Can waddle describe a person?
Yes. It describes a way of walking, but using it about a person can sound unkind if it draws attention to their body or mobility. Use it with care.
Where does it come from?
Dictionaries connect waddle with wade as a diminutive or frequentative formation. That historical relationship does not mean that waddling requires walking in water. Its current meaning describes the movement rather than the surface being crossed.
How to use it in a sentence
“The duck waddled across the path.”
“The toy moved forward with a gentle waddle.”
“The heavy costume made the performer waddle.”
Sources and updates
- waddle, Cambridge Dictionary. Checked October 29, 2026.
- Waddle Definition & Meaning, Merriam-Webster. Checked October 29, 2026.
- Waddle - Etymology, Origin & Meaning, Online Etymology Dictionary. Checked October 29, 2026.
- Wattle Definition & Meaning, Merriam-Webster. Checked October 29, 2026.
Definitions and examples are written in our own words from the sources above. Published .