toddle

verb

tod·​dle ˈtä-dᵊl How to pronounce toddle (audio)
toddled; toddling ˈtäd-liŋ How to pronounce toddle (audio)
ˈtä-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

1
: to walk with short tottering steps in the manner of a young child
2
: to take a stroll : saunter
toddle noun

Examples of toddle in a Sentence

The little boy toddled across the room. I toddled off to the pub for a pint. She toddled off to bed.
Recent Examples on the Web In one clip, the little boy confidently toddled across the family's lawn. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Ellison and Badolato climb down from the car and stand at the park’s edge, as Ellison’s son toddles around the grass, oblivious to what had transpired in that very spot. Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2024 Soon your child will toddle off to pick up a book and bring it back to you. Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023 Last month, the singer posted an adorable Instagram video of the siblings toddling down the street on the Fourth of July. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 7 Aug. 2023 They’re used to the spotlight, too: Each of them makes frequent appearances on the NWSL social media feeds, and are often seen toddling around the field after league games. USA TODAY, 31 July 2023 Roughly three million years ago, tiny penguins toddled around New Zealand, according to a new study. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2023 Or somewhere out on the shore of Lake Washington, where children toddle at the water’s edge. USA Today, 26 June 2023 Why, then, do parents celebrate when their would-be toddler first begins to toddle? David P. Barash, WSJ, 16 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toddle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toddle was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near toddle

Cite this Entry

“Toddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toddle. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

toddle

verb
tod·​dle ˈtäd-ᵊl How to pronounce toddle (audio)
toddled; toddling ˈtäd-liŋ How to pronounce toddle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to walk with short unsteady steps like a young child
toddle noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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