lurked; lurking; lurks

intransitive verb

1
a
: to lie in wait in a place of concealment especially for an evil purpose
someone out there lurking in the shadows
b
: to move furtively or inconspicuously
shall I lurk about this country like a thief?Henry Fielding
c
: to persist in staying
the excitement of the first act still lurking in the airRichard Fletcher
Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous.J. K. Rowling
2
a
: to be concealed but capable of being discovered
specifically : to constitute a latent threat
What evil lurks in the hearts of men?
b
: to lie hidden
Malaria lurked in the marshes.
3
: to read messages without contributing on an Internet discussion forum (see forum sense 1c) (such as a newsgroup or chat room) or social media platform
You can tweet as much as you want or lurk without comment, though consistent tweeting and audience engagement are key to attracting and keeping followers.Charlotte Abbott
Choose the Right Synonym for lurk

lurk, skulk, slink, sneak mean to behave so as to escape attention.

lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

Examples of lurk in a Sentence

She could tell there was someone out there lurking in the shadows. we caught a glimpse of someone lurking around the corner
Recent Examples on the Web Have fun-loving characters like Casper the Friendly Ghost looming in window panes or lurking from the chimney. Nafeesah Allen, Parents, 30 Sep. 2024 Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano look like the perfect couple — but secrets lurking beneath their picturesque facade are threatening to unravel them. Julia Moore, People.com, 30 Sep. 2024 Behind any vessel might lurk two or more companies with an ownership stake. USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024 The virus lurks in wild birds and spreads to people and other animals via mosquitoes. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lurk 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lurk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English; akin to Middle High German lūren to lie in wait — more at lower

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lurk was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lurk

Cite this Entry

“Lurk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurk. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lurk

verb
1
a
: to stay in or about a place secretly
b
: to move quietly and secretly
2
: to lie concealed
especially : to be a hidden threat
lurker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lurk

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