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
For example, New York endured weather whiplash on July 18 as the city lurched from a heat wave and smoke pollution from Canadian wildfires to flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms that dumped a few inches of rain in a short period of time. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026 There are vivid characters—the rich, distinguished crook Brandon, the platinum-blond secretary Miss Vermilyea; Javonen, ex-military intelligence, and seedy private eye from Kansas, Noble, who might have lurched out of an early Graham Greene story. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Noun
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 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 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
  • Bush tried to capitalize on voter sentiment souring on Israel and the rise of other progressives, but that wasn't enough to sway Missouri voters who stuck with the incumbent.
    — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The House settlement authorizes the CSC to review NIL deals for evidence of possible recruiting inducements and similar forms of compensation used to sway where athletes decide to play.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • The hole gently bends from right to left, with fairway bunkers staggered along both sides.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The political crisis has meant that legislative elections, originally scheduled for July 27, have now been staggered into three separate days over a period of two weeks.
    — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • There are a few isolated showers this afternoon and evening, but not a washout, and nothing severe is expected.
    — Mary Ours, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of washout
Verb
  • Tarrant County District Attorney In mid-November 1996, Narez shook her daughter, Kasandra White, and threw the child into a wall, causing her head to strike a door, according to the 1999 Tarrant County grand jury indictment.
    — S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday, in the early morning, cheerleaders flanked the entrance to the courtyard, cheering and shaking their pom-poms as their classmates filed in, showing varying degrees of enthusiasm.
    — Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • But Bijan Khajehpour, another Iran expert and the managing partner at consulting firm Eurasian Nexus Partners, doesn’t think Iran’s economy is headed for imminent collapse.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • However, the article emphasizes socialism's historical failures, citing the collapse of the Soviet Union and Venezuela's severe economic devastation under socialist policies.
    — Mike Patton, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • In December 2020, Kotb, Schiffman and their family rocked around the Christmas tree in matching pajamas.
    — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In a photo posted to her Instagram account on August 8, the mom of three showed off her toned muscles while rocking a resistance band and balancing her hands on a set of free weights.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • El-Sayed's win is a boon for the left flank of the Democratic Party, which has recently scored upsets in New York and Colorado.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • However, the night was a team effort for Dallas, as the crew worked to fend off the Amps’ hunt for the biggest upset of this season.
    — Ava DiCecca, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • Two lessons stand out from the Cook County inspector general’s assessment of the fiasco.
    — Tom Dowling, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • And outside of the biggest Kool-Aid® guzzlers in Cupertino, pretty much nobody thinks Apple is interested in going for another big bite of live sports, especially not in light of its MLS fiasco.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 31 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 11 Aug. 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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