lurk

verb

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\ ˈlərk

lurked; lurking; lurks

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 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 air— Richard Fletcher Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous.— J. K. Rowling

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 without contributing on an Internet discussion forum (see forum sense 1c) (such as a newsgroup or chat room) or social media platform (such as Facebook or Twitter) 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

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About lurk

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 For example, APTs can lurk within other types of threats. — Shira Shamban, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 The threat of an authority figure’s disapproval might lurk in the background. — Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2022 There is also a fiendishness that can lurk within the hot potato ploy too. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 More, yet undiscovered, may lurk beneath the ground. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2022 The plot twists, broadly, around the idea that danger could lurk anywhere—a theme often referenced on Crime Junkie. — ELLE, 11 Aug. 2022 Because APTs can lurk and attack anywhere in your systems and network, advanced persistent security (APS) must be equally present and persistent over the long term. — Shira Shamban, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 Similar powers lurk in the Big Ten, where Indiana and Maryland have each won national titles in the last 10 years. — Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2022 Fortunately, tragedy did not lurk — Blackwell had stumbled upon a movie crew — and her search ended in a one-in-a-million lucky happenstance. — Bobby Caina Calvan, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2022 See More

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.