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
Initial data indicates both of these earthquakes were strike-slip, Magnani said, meaning one plate lurched past the other along the boundary. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 25 June 2026 Taking the ride with Lazy Horse means embracing that chaos, lurching from song to song. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 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
  • Two men who were with Salgado Araujo disputed the government’s account, saying the agents’ vehicles bumped into them and then swayed into the van, forcing them to stop.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies’ management decisions, efficiency and financials.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 15 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
  • 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
  • Penta went for a Mexican Destroyer on the apron, but Rusev shook him off as the heels took control.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Keegan was not interested in being figurehead or a legend in the executive boxes, shaking hands and reminiscing about the old days.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • But authorities said the crews needed to carefully map out a rescue plan since a reckless excavation could risk triggering a secondary collapse, especially with the boulders at the scene.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • That reflects a long-running slowdown in home construction driven by rising expenses from materials and labor as well as changes in local zoning and permitting rules and lingering scars from the 2008 subprime mortgage collapse.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Travis Scott rocks some serious chains while attending Fanatics Fest 2026 on July 17 in New York City.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • Isom, 62, took over the top role at American in March 2022, after the airline industry had been rocked by the pandemic.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 19 July 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • The next time the Seminoles took the field, Georgia Tech pulled off an upset in Ireland, 24-21.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • The underdog pulled off the upset against the consensus favorite, stunning France with a 2-0 victory to advance.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • Andy Burnham will become the United Kingdom’s seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday, and must face the consequences of a bond market fiasco from three administrations ago.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 July 2026
  • Now, though, the American team’s customary Round-of-16 exit, the Balogun fiasco and FIFA’s shady past recede as the overriding art of soccer/football/futbol at ts best takes over with a final four for the ages.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 13 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 22 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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