Spell Bee Word: Squirm

What does squirm mean?

Word: Squirm

Part of Speech: Verb

Meaning: Squirm means to twist and turn your body, often because you are uncomfortable, nervous or embarrassed.

Synonyms: fidget, writhe

How do you spell squirm?

Syllables: squirm

Tricky part: Q is always followed by u, so the word starts squ.

Watch out for: sqirm, skwirm

Memory tip: Q never travels without its u, so start with squ, as in square.

Squirm in a sentence

Example 1: The baby began to squirm when the photographer took too long.

Example 2: I always squirm with embarrassment when my mother shows my old photos to my friends.

Example 3: The fish began to squirm in the net as the boy lifted it out of the pond.

Fun Fact

Squirm first turned up in English in the late 1600s. Word experts think it may imitate the twisting movement, perhaps with a nod to the word worm.

Practise the CREST Way

Spell-o-Spell

Choose the incorrectly spelt word:

a) squirme
b) squirrel
c) squeak
d) squeeze

Word Connection

Choose the synonym of the word: squirm

a) freeze
b) relax
c) wriggle
d) stride

Word Cookie

Find the misspelt word in the sentence:

Sitting in the dentist's chair, my little brother would squerm every time the drill started to buzz.

a) squerm
b) chair
c) drill
d) brother

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which situation would make most people squirm?

a) waiting for a late bus
b) being asked an awkward question
c) hearing a sudden loud bang
d) watching a sad film

2. Choose the correct past tense: The puppy ____ out of my arms.

a) squirmd
b) squirmmed
c) squirmt
d) squirmed