in the lurch

adjective

Definition of in the lurchnext
as in susceptible

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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
  • The burn scars have been most susceptible this summer with new fires created this season and old burn scars from years past.
    — Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Papik also said fishing policies are being amended that would allow native species to reclaim some of their number, like growing mollusks that are less susceptible to the alien blue crab.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Those aren’t the statistics of a player who’s worth trading away an unprotected first-rounder.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • However, experts say no amount of unprotected sun exposure is safe.
    — Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 20 July 2026
Definition of unprotected
Adjective
  • Often, there is only capacity to check a sample of invoices; the rest are paid automatically, leaving the company vulnerable to over-spending and outright fraud.
    — David Prosser, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • And neurons, being long-lived, are especially vulnerable to protein clumps, according to the new study’s co-lead author Rishav Mitra, a postdoctoral fellow in Bellono’s lab.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 July 2026
Definition of vulnerable
Adjective
  • The blast rings out as the helpless attorney watches in horror.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • Schiavio is slipped in on the right and his first-time shot goes in off the crossbar with Planicka a mere, helpless spectator.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Back then, America feared an armada of Soviet bombers laden with A-bombs barreling over the horizon, dodging our few anti-aircraft batteries, and dropping their deadly payloads on undefended American cities.
    — Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
  • The lack of range of Coastal Command aircraft left an undefended area known as the Mid-Atlantic Gap, rendering merchant shipping and their escorts without air cover and vulnerable to attack.
    — Mark Wood, TheWeek, 7 Jan. 2026
Definition of undefended

Browse Nearby Words

in the know
in the lurch
in the nude
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In the lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/in%20the%20lurch. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All