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
The trouble comes when, having ventured on such a tangent, the critic has to lurch back on track. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 His car lurched forward with Miller’s arm still reaching through the window, briefly dragging the cop down the street. — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 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
  • Despite a recent controversy regarding his comments about Dodgers fans, Crow-Armstrong's dynamic play and the potential for a new MVP face could sway voters over Ohtani's two-way dominance.
    — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • While the railroads take sides on the issue, some lawmakers have sought to sway the STB into rejecting the megamerger.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • When the chute opened, Paper Cut thrashed across the arena until, at the sound of the buzzer, Jacobson launched himself off the animal and staggered away, his chaps flapping.
    — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Another argument favors sacrificing the long summer break for more frequent shorter breaks staggered throughout the school year.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • Residents of the nearby River Road Apartments near there were encouragedto evacuate last night due to erosion caused by the washout.
    — Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Similar to today, there will be large gaps of three to four hours between rounds of rain so the day won't be a washout.
    — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • First, Murdock recognized the Falcons setting up a screen and then shook off a block attempt by the pulling center and dropped running back Tyler Goodson for no gain.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In quiet spaces, cues on whether the ground is shaking are distorted by our expectations.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • Charted out, the twin collapses of the income and inheritance taxes look like a roller coaster careening downhill, picking up speed toward and through the twenty-first century.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Cameron Brink injured in Sparks’ loss Sabrina Ionescu scored 20 points and the New York Liberty avoided one of the biggest collapses in WNBA history, holding off the Sparks 85-81 on Thursday night.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Enjoy your morning coffee or close your eyes and gently rock back and forth while listening to the morning birds in one of the chairs from this Three-piece Rocking Bistro Set.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Fenix rocked El Fiscal with big kicks followed by a moonsault for a nearfall.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • Nixon shocks Florida Democrats with primary upset Everything was stacked against the 32-year-old state legislator in a race establishment Democrats had hoped to make somewhat competitive this fall.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Florida Democrats gathered to promote party unity in Little Havana on Wednesday, but faced questions about socialism given an upset in Tuesday's primary.
    — Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • His costly miscalculation exploded into a life-and-death war fiasco that an incompetent and dishonest administration is now incapable of ending.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The fiasco has cost American taxpayers $533 million, according to the Army.
    — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 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 20 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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