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
Sometimes the wagon will lurch forward on that initial pull before settling into your walking rhythm. — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026 The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another. — Dan Restrepo, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
The pitch is a bank-beating yield without the daily lurch of the stock market. — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 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 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 most sensual scene in the movie is actually a dance number at a public gathering where the two characters slowly sway and caress each other, much to the horror and confusion of the other townsfolk.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • This phenomenon has similarly been demonstrated in prediction markets, which have been shown to sway voters almost as much as polls.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • Spoelstra staggered Adebayo and Antetokounmpo’s minutes with these bench lineups.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
  • However, data from Agence France Tresor shows that the average maturity of French debt stands at roughly 8 years and 158 days, with debt redemptions relatively well staggered.
    — , CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • Heavy rain has already caused problems in the county, including a washout on County Road 500 late last month.
    — Jeff Todd, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Massive waves also stripped millions of cubic yards of sand from Southern California beaches, and sections of the Pacific Coast Highway suffered severe flooding, mudslides and washouts.
    — Gary Griggs, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • Sitake winds up practice with a prayer and insists that the defense and offense shake hands after going at one another all day.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mothers who beat, shook, shot, drowned, strangled, and stabbed their babies.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • Mohamud also warned of a possible secondary collapse, as the collapsed building was leaning on its neighbor.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Spirit Airlines' ghost planes The problems with young retirements predate Spirit's collapse.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstrations are also rocking many European cities Saturday from Milan to Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But beyond artsy activities, this tablet also rocks powerful performance thanks to 8GB of expandable memory and 256GB of local storage.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • Division 1 contenders Barring late-season collapses or major upsets, the Southern Section Division 1 playoff teams are looking pretty easy to identify.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Upsets, near-upsets and general wackiness; pageantry, pride and good old-fashioned heartbreak.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • And its defense — minus the Week 1 fiasco against the Bears that’s looking more and more like an aberration — is Top 10 in several statistics, including rushing yards allowed.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • On the 597th Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including an update on the Milwaukee Brewers’ Timeless Ticket fiasco.
    — Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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