Definition of lurk
intransitive verb
1a : to lie in wait in a place of concealment especially for an evil purpose someone out there lurking in the shadowsb : to move furtively or inconspicuously shall I lurk about this country like a thief? — Henry Fieldingc : to persist in staying the excitement of the first act still lurking in the air Richard Fletcher
2a : 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 on an Internet discussion forum (see forum 1c) (such as a newsgroup or chat room) without contributing
lurker
nounExplore M-W
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 of lurk from the Web
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After Kansas City police chose that term to characterize four killings dating back to August around a south Kansas City trail system, avid users couldn’t help but wonder who might be lurking in the trees.
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CBS Detroit reports mother-of-two Jillian Duke found the enormous arachnid lurking in her toddler's bedroom Wednesday morning.
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Lurking in the background of the debate is the memory of violent anti-Danish rallies in predominantly Muslim countries after the Jyllands-Posten daily invited cartoonists to draw the prophet.
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The animal was finally brought to the surface again earlier this month when an Australian research vessel discovered one lurking nearly three miles deep.
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But a big problem is lurking behind these seemingly innocuous developments: Too many broken things end up in landfills.
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The Rock Hill Herald reported state officers nabbed an 8-foot alligator in August 2002 on Lake Wylie, and in 1999, Catawba Nuclear Station employees spotted a 5- to 7-foot alligator lurking in a nearby lagoon.
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There's no Ali around to infuriate some and enchant others with his insouciant charm; no Tyson lurking on the fringe marketing menace.
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Of course, there are potential legal problems lurking in the shadows.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lurk'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of lurk
Middle English; akin to Middle High German lūren to lie in wait — more at lower
First Known Use: 14th century
Synonym Discussion of lurk
LURK Defined for English Language Learners
lurk
playDefinition of lurk for English Language Learners
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: to be in a hidden place : to wait in a secret or hidden place especially in order to do something wrong or harmful
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computers : to read messages written by other people on the Internet in a newsgroup, chat room, etc., without writing any messages yourself
LURK Defined for Kids
lurk
playDefinition of lurk for Students
lurked
;lurking
: to hide in or about a place
Learn More about lurk
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See words that rhyme with lurk Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lurk Spanish Central: Translation of lurk Nglish: Translation of lurk for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lurk for Arabic speakers
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