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
Still, there is no working around the fact that a manual transmission is a pain in traffic – with the endless clutching and shifting and lurching forward in first gear. — Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026 With a cigarette dangling from her lips, ashes and curse words ever ready to fall, Angela lurches around the house critical of everything and everyone. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
Yurich traces Eddie’s spiraling loss of control and his lurch into self-harm with raw feeling, and both writer and director take risks with a final act that can be interpreted as a victory but never glosses over the tremendous physical and emotional cost. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026 The beat, provided by live drums, lurches and lumbers, following the knotty runs of notes instead of setting up a pulse. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 9 Apr. 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
  • The Justice Department also says Beijing is determined to sway American public opinion in its favor by cultivating relationships with political figures seen as having access to the levers of power.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • George Cheeks will rule TV, overseeing the linear channels and TV studios, which still holds enormous influence and sway.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • But only weeks into his first season, as the Jets staggered to a 3-14 record, the team traded two of its best defensive players in cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The screening times were staggered, allowing Pawlikowski to hurry from one place to the next and introduce his film.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • The weekend is not expected to be a complete washout, but passing storms will remain possible Saturday and Sunday.
    — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Still some lingering light rain and breezy conditions across parts of the Northeast for tomorrow morning, but not a washout for most.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • The event, televised by dozens of channels across Serbia, capped a week of Vucic touring towns and villages in an apparent bid to shore up his popularity that's been shaken after almost two years of sustained anti-government protests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Bottle tops popped, can tabs cracked, and cocktail shakers shook all day Thursday at the Aftershock music festival at Sacramento’s Discovery Park.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • Two weeks into fighting, the unforgiving mountainous terrain, heavy Saudi and government air power, and a reenergized anti-Houthi coalition have kept the Houthi advance in check, preventing a collapse on the level of that in mid-September.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
  • While the exact time of the collapse is unknown, the Volcanoes National Park team said on social media Thursday that the arch was still standing on Wednesday, September 23, when the park was temporarily closed during Tropical Storm Nolo.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Stallone, on the other hand, was all about exclusivity, rocking a rare off-catalog variant with a turquoise dial.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The Gators rocked Ole Miss one week after the Rebels made a statement win against LSU.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • Howard of Macon is in AJC Varsity’s football rankings for the first time, Berrien is breaking a 33-year poll drought, Stephens County is cashing in on a massive upset and Grayson is back after a six-week absence.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Conanan wants to invite Johnny and Matthew's parents, Guy and Jane Gaudreau, to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, later this fall if his horse pulls off the upset.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • The not-so-Super Rams return to the scene of that fiasco on Sunday.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But Rubin’s song selection and line of questioning never toss the artist a curious misfire or label fiasco to unpack.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 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 8 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lurch

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