lurch 1 of 2

verb

ˈlərch How to pronounce lurch (audio)
Definition of lurchnext
1
as in to sway
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side dressed in his zombie costume, the boy lurched down the street in his quest for Halloween candy

Synonyms & Similar Words

lurch

2 of 2

noun

as in washout

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lurch
Verb
Taking the ride with Lazy Horse means embracing that chaos, lurching from song to song. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026 Rodney McDonald, who was traveling with his wife and two sons, told ABC News the ordeal began when the aircraft unexpectedly lurched. — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 24 June 2026
Noun
The lurch from declaring fears about Iran to be mere media exaggerations to invoking imminent threat, from demanding the Nobel Peace Prize to luxuriating in lethality, is the essence of the autocrat’s monopoly on unpredictability. — Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026 The leftward lurch could cost Republicans control of Congress for the president’s final two years in office. — Steve Peoples, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lurch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurch
  1. sway
  2. stagger
  3. washout
  4. shake
  5. collapse
  6. rock
  7. upset
  8. fiasco
Verb
  • Matz said Bay Point’s gate and its proximity to the Design District and downtown Miami swayed the buyers of the home at 790 Lake Rd.
    — Catherine Odom July 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026
  • Public support for Gantz, who had become the most favorable political figure among Israelis in the wake of October 7, declined rapidly for his failure to either sway Netanyahu’s decision-making or force early elections to replace him.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • This proposal establishes staggered 18-year terms of active service, allowing every president to appoint exactly two justices per term.
    — Dale V.C. Holness, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
  • Clay Lockhart staggered back to his house, shoulders bent under the weight of grief and the work of digging.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 July 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • While the day will not be a washout, residents should keep an umbrella handy for afternoon and evening activities.
    — Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026
  • Overnight rainfall coupled with the arrival of storms Saturday means the region could see a washout.
    — Kendrick Calfee June 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • The question is whether Thompson will shake free from the Mavericks, either through a buyout or trade.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The wine and cocktail menu sports a few local makers too, including Gruet Winery’s sparkling wine and Hollow Spirits vodka, which is shaken into the restaurant’s take on a Vesper martini.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • But analysts such as London and Malick don’t see anything coming as severe as the housing collapse that triggered the 2008 Great Recession, or even very much negative about the current situation.
    — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • Friday’s national collapse of the electricity system is the fourth this year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • The deaths of three people in a boat crash on Lake Pepin over the weekend have rocked the small town situated in southeastern Minnesota on the Mississippi River.
    — Ashley Grams, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Mindy Kaling rocks a butter yellow outfit outside Good Morning America on July 9 in New York City.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • The upsets for oil markets raise uncertainties over inflation and other economic trends.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • When Mostafa Zico doubled Egypt’s lead after a sweeping move in the 67th minute, Egypt was on the brink of one of the great World Cup upsets.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 8 July 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • Harry's decision comes amid an ongoing security fiasco concerning the safety of Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • Add in a fiasco of a camp, where celebrities had access to the team’s hotel, and subpar performances in defeats against Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia, and the hoodoo appeared stronger than ever.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of fiasco

Browse Nearby Words

lunkheads
lurch
lurched
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Cite this Entry

“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurch. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lurch

Nglish: Translation of lurch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lurch

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