lurch

1 of 5

verb (1)

lurched; lurching; lurches
Synonyms of lurchnext

intransitive verb

1
: to move with a lurch
suddenly lurched forward
also : stagger
… has lurched from crisis to crisis … Jere Longman
2
: to roll or tip abruptly : pitch

lurch

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: an abrupt jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car moved forward with a lurch
2
: a sudden roll of a ship to one side

lurch

3 of 5

noun (2)

: a decisive defeat in which an opponent wins a game by more than double the defeated player's score especially in cribbage
see also:

lurch

4 of 5

verb (2)

lurched; lurching; lurches

transitive verb

1
: to defeat by a lurch (as in cribbage)
2
archaic : to leave in the lurch

lurch

5 of 5

verb (3)

lurched; lurching; lurches

intransitive verb

dialectal, chiefly England : to loiter about a place furtively : prowl

transitive verb

1
archaic : cheat
2
obsolete : steal

Examples of lurch in a Sentence

Verb (1) the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake dressed in his zombie costume, the boy lurched down the street in his quest for Halloween candy
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Then, just as abruptly, the plane lurched up, slamming everyone back to the ground. Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 According to prosecutors, when other drivers honked at him, Alvardo woke up and lurched his vehicle forward, striking 70-year-old crossing guard John Miro, who was on the sidewalk at Sunrise Highway and Merrick Avenue. Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
In fact, the more profound political evolution of modern times has been the Democratic Party’s rapid lurch to the far left — and American voters are starting to notice. Las Vegas Review-Journal, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026 The lurch from confidence to anxiety has been a key reason Villa have not held their nerve in some supposedly easier fixtures. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lurch

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

Middle French lourche, adjective, defeated by a lurch, deceived

Verb (2)

derivative of lurch entry 3

Verb (3)

Middle English lorchen, probably alteration of lurken to lurk

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (1)

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1598, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

circa 1651, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of lurch was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurch. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

lurch

1 of 3 noun
: an overwhelming defeat in a game (as cribbage)

lurch

2 of 3 noun
1
: a sudden roll of a ship to one side
2
: a sudden jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car gave a lurch
also : a staggering gait

lurch

3 of 3 verb
1
: to roll or tip suddenly
2
: to move with a lurch
suddenly lurched forward

More from Merriam-Webster on lurch

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