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
Relevance
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
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
Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
The film lurches between scenes of lush romantic melodrama and moments of Grand Guignol bloodletting.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 23 Sep. 2025
The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Verb
And Americans who want a Covid booster are left in a lurch because Kennedy’s antipathy now limits what is covered by insurance plans.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
The film lurches between scenes of lush romantic melodrama and moments of Grand Guignol bloodletting.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
Roth approached the man — later identified as 29-year-old Gustavo Rojas — and his heart lurched.
—April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 23 Sep. 2025
The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurch
Verb
-
Rebelling against the strictures of ballet, barefoot and in loose, flowing tunics, Isadora would strike ancient Greek poses and sway and turn to-and-fro as if driven by currents of wind and ocean, a force of nature herself.—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Trump reportedly has been aiming to use the higher tariffs he’s enacted on non-compliant Mexican and Canadian goods to sway USMCA negotiations.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
They are elected to four-year terms, with elections staggered every two years.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Then the Dodgers stopped by in October for an NLDS heavyweight title bout — and the Phillies are already staggering through a standing 8-count.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Market breadth was negative but not a washout, new 52-week highs were still well ahead of new lows.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The storm also left people trapped in seven vehicles on nearby roads after overflowing creeks caused washouts, deputies said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With the final seconds ticking away and the Chiefs’ 30-17 triumph over the Detroit Lions sealed, KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes was looking to shake the hand of Lions safety Brian Branch.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Because the building was shaking.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
More than two years of war have left Gaza in ruins, triggering famine and the collapse of essential infrastructure.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
-
His debut novel, Satantango, published in 1985, followed the collapse of a rural community in Hungary, while more recent works, including the novels The Prisoner of Urga and Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens, were inspired by the author’s travels to Mongolia and China.—
Paige Bruton,
semafor.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As seen in the second photo, Kidman — who also rocked her new bangs — layered a statement burgundy blazer jacket over her shoulders to tie in the bag.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The country was rocked by the 2019 murder of Walter Lübcke, a local government official who supported the pro-refugee policies of then-Chancellor Angela Merkel.—
Stephanie Halasz,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Penalties were also a significant issue for the Bills, resulting in 11 infractions for 90 yards, which helped the Patriots breathe life into drives and contribute to the upset.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills were the only two unbeaten teams this season heading into Week 5 but both saw their unbeaten records on the season end on a weekend of upsets in the NFL.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After days of explosive online back-and-forth with Nicki Minaj (and a few jabs tossed toward JT), the Bronx rapper hopped on social media with her first video addressing the fiasco that was equal parts warning and reminder.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The once-struggling 57-year-old seafood chain had endured an $11 million endless-shrimp fiasco among other mistakes made.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurch. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share