Synonyms of slink

slink

verb

ˈsliŋk 

as in to sneak

to move about in a sly or secret manner

like a thief slinking about in the middle of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sneak
• lurk
• slip
• slide
• mouse
• steal
• crawl
• skulk
• snake
• shirk
• tiptoe
• creep
• pussyfoot
• mooch
• worm
• edge
• pad
• inch
• ghost

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slink distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slink are lurk, skulk, and sneak. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

When is lurk a more appropriate choice than slink?

While the synonyms lurk and slink are close in meaning, lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

When might skulk be a better fit than slink?

In some situations, the words skulk and slink are roughly equivalent. However, skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

When can sneak be used instead of slink?

The synonyms sneak and slink are sometimes interchangeable, but sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of slink

But Daemon gets thrown from the saddle, and Caraxes allows Sheepstealer to escape or at least to slink off into the woods to die alone. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

Claypool’s voice, formerly a sharp and declarative figure in the mix, slinks down into silty waters, often unintelligible and almost always emotionally ambiguous. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026

Video posted to social media shows a man slinking behind In-N-Out signs and shrubs, seeking out the source of the gunfire. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026

Why not just let Benton slink away, as others before him have done? — Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026