Synonyms of worm

worm

verb

1

as in to encroach

to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits

neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife

Synonyms & Similar Words

• encroach
• creep
• snake
• inch
• invade
• sneak
• impinge
• intrude
• infringe
• entrench
• overrun
• overshoot
• overstep
• overreach
• overpass

2

as in to infiltrate

to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way

over a period of several years, the undercover agent was able to worm his way into the drug kingpin's confidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

• infiltrate
• insert
• sneak
• slip
• wind
• work in
• introduce
• wriggle
• wiggle
• creep
• insinuate
• edge
• interpolate
• interpose

3

as in to snake

to move slowly with the body close to the ground

the cat silently wormed along the ground as it snuck up on the bird

Synonyms & Similar Words

• snake
• crawl
• creep
• slide
• slither
• wriggle
• belly
• grovel
• crouch
• squat
• tiptoe
• sneak
• steal
• inch
• edge
• nose
• skulk

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of worm

The flea larvae, which look like tiny maggots, worm their way into the carpet or mattress, feeding on the flea dirt that their parents left behind, says Benson. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has wormed its way into more and more parts of consumers’ lives, from work to their children’s education, and even mental health and romantic relationships. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 16 May 2026

The best success comes using it in jungle-thick cover, worming a minnow down between uncooperative branches. — John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026

In terms of the complex set design — which looks like a facsimile of the same passage over and over but with subtle differences worming their way in — Kawamura and his team built two identical corridors for cinematographer Keisuke Imamura to follow the actors through, third- and first-person-style. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026