waffle

1 of 3

noun (1)

waf·​fle ˈwä-fəl 

ˈwȯ-

: a crisp cake of batter baked in a waffle iron

waffle

2 of 3

verb

waffled; waffling ˈwä-f(ə-)liŋ 

ˈwȯ-

intransitive verb

1

: equivocate, vacillate

waffled on the important issues

also : yo-yo, flip-flop

2

: to talk or write foolishly : blather

can waffle … tiresomely off the point

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

waffler

ˈwä-f(ə-)lər 

ˈwȯ-

noun

waffle

3 of 3

noun (2)

: empty or pretentious words : tripe

Synonyms

Verb

• equivocate
• fudge
• hedge
• pussyfoot
• tergiversate
• weasel

Examples of waffle in a Sentence

Verb

she waffled when asked what she thought of her sister's new boyfriend

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Frozen waffles, dining tables — everything not sold was going into storage. —Michael Burgess, Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2024

Also served are chicken and waffles, wraps, bowls with chicken and mac and cheese, wings, sandwiches, salads. —James A. Jones Jr., Miami Herald, 30 May 2024

Verb

Chung’s film Eden was at the South by Southwest festival that year, which Greenberg had waffled on attending with her. —Andrea Mandell, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024

Even as narratives about the U.S. economy among top experts have waffled between jubilant relief and stubborn concern that the best of this business cycle was finished, in the aggregate the labor market has consistently been vibrant since 2022; almost uneventfully so. —Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Dutch wafel, from Middle Dutch wafele; akin to Old High German waba honeycomb, Old English wefan to weave

Verb

frequentative of obsolete woff to yelp, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1744, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing waffle

• Belgian waffle
• waffle iron

Kids Definition

waffle

1 of 2 noun

waf·​fle

ˈwäf-əl,

ˈwȯf-

: a crisp cake with an indented crust made by cooking batter in a waffle iron

waffle

2 of 2 verb

waffled; waffling

1

: to be unable or unwilling to be clear about choices or opinions

also : to make a sudden reversal (as of policy)

2

British : to talk or write a lot without saying anything important