in the lurch

adjective

Definition of in the lurchnext
as in susceptible

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of in the lurch Newsom and other opponents, like the California Teachers Association, said the measure is shortsighted and left public schools, childcare providers and others in the lurch by focusing almost solely on healthcare. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 That avoids leaving team members in the lurch while the person is out, Ackerman said. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 8 June 2026 Rather than leave existing clients in the lurch, Lee allowed IDW to essentially inherit those accounts, allowing the fledgling business to become profitable within its first year of operation. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 The chaos left students across the county — many of whom were in the midst of finals — in the lurch, wondering if their assignments could be turned in or would be postponed. — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026 And Lake Station Community Schools Superintendent Tom Cripliver said the School Board is looking for alternatives so families aren’t left in the lurch when the new school year begins. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 Just as Musk left Oracle in the lurch, a LinkedIn message from OpenAI infrastructure chief Peter Hoeschele arrived in the inbox of a sales leader at Oracle, Bloomberg reported. — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 29 Apr. 2026 When pressed about the path forward with TSA agents and other workers left in the lurch, Murphy said Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, are the ones who have rejected their proposals to provide immediate funding for the Transportation Security Administration. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026 Scant negotiations progress Last week, Congress failed to advance a DHS funding bill for the fifth time, leaving TSA, FEMA and other agencies in the lurch. — Luke Garrett, NPR, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for in the lurch
  1. susceptible
  2. unprotected
  3. vulnerable
  4. helpless
  5. undefended
Adjective
  • Certain cat breeds are more susceptible to hereditary conditions, while illnesses such as diabetes and kidney disease can require treatment over many years.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Declining vaccination rates have left growing numbers of children and adults susceptible to the virus, with multiple states experiencing sustained outbreaks of the disease.
    — Dhruti Shah, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Vaccination rates can vary wildly within states, leading to pockets of people who are unprotected against measles.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Afterward, experts were still tracking hundreds of devices left unprotected.
    — Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unprotected
Adjective
  • And party insiders blame Trump’s tariffs and war with Iran for creating a volatile Senate map that has left seats in red states like Nebraska and Kansas vulnerable.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Linn County prosecutors did not file criminal charges, but the church would not allow Moore to work with children, youth and vulnerable adults.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of vulnerable
Adjective
  • Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
  • In an America where people my age feel particularly subjugated and helpless, accusing someone else of political and moral impropriety and defending your case with your life can instill in you feelings of reified self-empowerment and control.
    — Ivy Wolk, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Numan said the Iraqi military would not leave the Kurdistan region undefended.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries.
    — PAUL WISEMAN, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of undefended

Browse Nearby Words

in the know
in the lurch
in the nude
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Cite this Entry

“In the lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/in%20the%20lurch. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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