1
: a quick thrust or jab (as of a sword) usually made by leaning or striding forward
2
: a sudden forward rush or reach
made a lunge to catch the ball
3
: an exercise in which a person in a standing position steps forward into a position in which the front knee is deeply bent while keeping the torso erect and then returns back to the starting position
also
: a similar exercise in which the initial movement is to the side rather than forward
Note: A lunge can be done while holding weights or without weights.
lunged; lunging
1
: to make a lunge : move with or as if with a lunge
2
: to perform a lunge exercise (see lunge entry 1 sense 3)
: to thrust or propel (something, such as a blow) in a lunge
Synonyms
Examples of lunge in a Sentence
Noun
He made a lunge at me with his knife.
He made a desperate lunge for the ball.
Verb
He lunged at me with his knife.
She lunged across the table.
The crocodile lunged at its prey.
The dog lunged for his throat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 5 Apr. 2024
Interspersed between lunges, quiet moments of rest and downward-facing dogs, Ibarra reminded the class how much they were loved by Jesus.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2024
Split Lunge: Hold a dumbbell on each shoulder and set up a lunge position.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 26 Mar. 2024
Use front, reverse, side or curtsy lunges, or all four.
—Amanda Loudin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024
Planks, push-ups, lunges, squats and pointers can all build strength, and regular stretching can cultivate flexibility.
—Danielle Friedman, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024
Ironically, Favre didn't make the Pro Bowl in 1994, a year when his numbers took a lunge forward.
—Journal Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2024
Here's how to do the exercise: Place the flexibility band under your forward foot in a lunge position.
—Nicole Borgenicht, Health, 17 Nov. 2023
With the reverse lunge, the body is working through full range of motion in a unilateral position.
—Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 1 Sep. 2023
Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
So what if the room directly across from our suite was occupied by a large black dog named Bella who was barking ferociously and lunging at the window facing our room?
—Sam Apple, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
An off-duty D.C. police lieutenant fatally shot a 28-year-old man who lunged at another officer with a knife Wednesday along a roadway near a police station in Prince George’s County, Maryland State Police said.
—Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
An Oakland man on trial in the killing of his ex-girlfriend cut through a lap restraint and attacked his attorney with a pen, then lunged toward the prosecutor, creating a chaotic courtroom scene Monday as a Contra Costa County jury watched, officials said.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Four plays later, Flowers appeared to be making up for it, catching a pass and then lunging for the end zone.
—Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024
Bost later lunged at him in the room, according to multiple witnesses.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
The images—white border agents in cowboy hats lunging toward Black migrants, including children—went viral.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024
All three attacks took place just outside residents’ homes, with at least two of them happening on the homeowners’ porches — one when the predator lunged at the dog and grabbed it off the steps.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Noun
Experts suggest incorporating other types of movement into your pre-workout routine, such as jogging in place, performing butt kicks, lunges, and body weight squats.
—Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 5 Apr. 2024
Interspersed between lunges, quiet moments of rest and downward-facing dogs, Ibarra reminded the class how much they were loved by Jesus.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2024
Split Lunge: Hold a dumbbell on each shoulder and set up a lunge position.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 26 Mar. 2024
Use front, reverse, side or curtsy lunges, or all four.
—Amanda Loudin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024
Planks, push-ups, lunges, squats and pointers can all build strength, and regular stretching can cultivate flexibility.
—Danielle Friedman, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024
Ironically, Favre didn't make the Pro Bowl in 1994, a year when his numbers took a lunge forward.
—Journal Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2024
Here's how to do the exercise: Place the flexibility band under your forward foot in a lunge position.
—Nicole Borgenicht, Health, 17 Nov. 2023
With the reverse lunge, the body is working through full range of motion in a unilateral position.
—Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 1 Sep. 2023
Verb
As the author waited for his motorcycle to get fixed, a Saint Bernard lunged at him, leading him to write of a mother and son who are being stalked by their own rabid dog.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
So what if the room directly across from our suite was occupied by a large black dog named Bella who was barking ferociously and lunging at the window facing our room?
—Sam Apple, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
An off-duty D.C. police lieutenant fatally shot a 28-year-old man who lunged at another officer with a knife Wednesday along a roadway near a police station in Prince George’s County, Maryland State Police said.
—Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
An Oakland man on trial in the killing of his ex-girlfriend cut through a lap restraint and attacked his attorney with a pen, then lunged toward the prosecutor, creating a chaotic courtroom scene Monday as a Contra Costa County jury watched, officials said.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Four plays later, Flowers appeared to be making up for it, catching a pass and then lunging for the end zone.
—Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024
Bost later lunged at him in the room, according to multiple witnesses.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
The images—white border agents in cowboy hats lunging toward Black migrants, including children—went viral.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024
All three attacks took place just outside residents’ homes, with at least two of them happening on the homeowners’ porches — one when the predator lunged at the dog and grabbed it off the steps.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lunge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lunge
Cite this Entry
“Lunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lunge. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lunge
1 of 2 noun1
: a sudden stretching thrust or pass (as with a sword)
2
: a sudden forward rush or reach
lunge
2 of 2 verb
lunged; lunging
1
: to move with or as if with a lunge
2
: to make a lunge (as with a sword)
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