lurk

play

verb \ˈlərk\

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

noun

See lurk defined for English-language learners

See lurk defined for kids

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

But there is a revolution and a revelation lurking in these childlike elements—a demonstration that the immaterial stuff of time can be evoked through the most material of forms.

— The Economist, "Alexander Calder made time a sculptural medium," 22 July 2017
Lurking behind this argument, of course, is the notion that some people—most of them poor, many of them black or Hispanic—are not worth saving.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "You Are Now Free to Have No Health Insurance," 7 July 2017
Locals still report lurking fighters and suspicious packages to the plethora of security forces in the city.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end," 5 July 2017
Was something more sinister lurking in rain clouds north of Birmingham on Thursday?

— leigh morgan, AL.com, "Funnel cloud spotted north of Birmingham," 30 June 2017
Funnel cloud spotted north of Birmingham Was something more sinister lurking in rain clouds north of Birmingham on Thursday?

— carol robinson, AL.com, "Toddler hit by vehicle, killed in Clanton; probe underway," 28 June 2017
Lurking in the background is the Islamic militant group Hamas’ continued control of the Gaza Strip.

— Washington Post, "Mission impossible? Kushner seeks to revive Mideast talks," 21 June 2017
Lurking in the background is the Islamic militant group Hamas' continued control of the Gaza Strip.

— josef federman, Jewish Journal, "Mission impossible? Kushner seeks to revive Mideast talks," 21 June 2017
Lurking in the background is the Islamic militant group Hamas’ continued control of the Gaza Strip.

— josef federman, The Seattle Times, "Mission impossible? Kushner seeks to revive Mideast talks," 20 June 2017

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of 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

LURK Defined for English Language Learners

lurk

play

verb

Definition of lurk for English Language Learners

: to be in a hidden place : to wait in a secret or hidden place especially in order to do something wrong or harmful
computers : to read messages written by other people on the Internet in a newsgroup, chat room, etc., without writing any messages yourself