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worm

verb

Definition of wormnext
1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
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

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 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 See All Example Sentences for worm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worm
  1. encroach
  2. infiltrate
  3. snake
  4. insert
  5. crawl
  6. sneak
  7. creep
  8. slip
Verb
  • The necessary debates are only beginning to heat up as AI inexorably encroaches on our daily lives.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Signing Mbappé, who currently plays forward for Real Madrid, signals that On is looking to further encroach into its larger competitors’ territory.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • Andrew whines about the prattling women who’ve infiltrated his home, firmly establishing that all men are, in fact, terrible.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Subsequent reports revealed that OpenAI’s agents had previously infiltrated twoother websites months before the Hugging Face incident.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of infiltrate
Verb
  • And the talk drew far and away the longest lines of the festival, snaking around four city blocks an hour before showtime.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The crew use three tiers of flame bars behind Howell to spark the inferno that will snake through prom, fueled by the growing intensity of Carrie’s powers.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of snake
Verb
  • To beat this issue, the MIT team inserted a razor-thin layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) between two metal electrodes.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In the meantime, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has inserted herself into the saga.
    — Lynette Rice, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of insert
Verb
  • Suki, who had been with her new family only a few weeks, had crawled into an opening in an entertainment center cabinet and could not get out.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • And the weirdness of the blue, blue sky above, while hundreds of men crawl around like ants on the rubble.
    — Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of crawl
Verb
  • Florida snuck by the namesake SEC rival 44-39 in their first meeting since 2019.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Armstrong even sneaked ahead and pulled off a proper jump scare as himself, pointing out a mirror that created a hiding spot for performers.
    — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Something like hope crept toward me when my oncologist was vulnerable about her own health.
    — David Elkowitz, STAT, 16 Sep. 2026
  • This is happening as emergency room visits for COVID-like illness creep upward in nearly every part of the state, according to the NC Division of Public Health.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of creep
Verb
  • My own read, after two years of watching vendor roadmaps slip and then compress again, is that the hardware is still outrunning the software.
    — Dax Grant, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • My Lychee Tax – a deliciously fruity blend of strawberry rum and lychee purée – slipped down quickly.
    — Vicki Power, TheWeek, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of slip

Browse Nearby Words

worldwide
worm
wormed
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Cite this Entry

“Worm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worm. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on worm

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about worm

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