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

The team slunk out of Wrigley Field two games later facing the abyss. —Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

His win in the primary was a shock to the political establishment, and the powerful began to slink in his direction. —Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025

With the same playfulness of her makeup, Woods slicked the body of her hair in a bun on top of her head; her caramel-colored curled ends slinking around. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025

Route 128 slinks through the folds of Anderson Valley like a slow river, past vineyards clinging to hillsides and orchards heavy with apple blossoms come spring. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025