To squirm means to twist and wriggle your body with small, uncomfortable movements. When you squirm in your seat during a long assembly, you're shifting around restlessly because sitting still has become difficult. A fish squirms in your hands when you try to hold it. A little kid squirms while getting a haircut, unable to stay perfectly still.

People also squirm when they feel embarrassed or caught doing something wrong. If a teacher asks you a question and you didn't do the reading, you might squirm uncomfortably while trying to think of an answer. When someone squirms during an awkward conversation, their body language shows their discomfort even if they're trying to hide it.

The word captures that specific combination of physical wiggling and emotional unease. You might squirm out of a tight jacket, squirm away from someone tickling you, or squirm with embarrassment when your parents tell an embarrassing story about you in front of your friends. Squirming is your body's way of expressing the feeling that you want to be anywhere else but right where you are.