LIMPING Synonyms: 87 Similar and Opposite Words

limping 1 of 2

noun

as in exhaustion

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limping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of limp

as in shuffling

to walk while favoring one leg she limped all day after stubbing her toe on the lawn sprinkler

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stumbling

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually the damaged boat limped back into port

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dragging

to move slowly we'll have to stop limping if we are ever going to make our destination in time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 limping

Noun

While many symptoms overlap between species, Koehler says dogs commonly develop lethargy, fever, limping, stiff or swollen joints, pale gums, bruising, or abnormal bleeding. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026 In recent days, young Knicks fans have been made to digest from their dreary Boomer elders heavy doses of old-timey hoops lore, but mainly about the 1970 title series, featuring Willis Reed’s limping, yet noble appearance in Game Seven, his injured leg shot up with painkillers. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026 Carter did not look good limping off the practice field. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026 With the Bulls’ season limping toward a finish and the transfer portal opening tomorrow, Chapel Hill clearly didn’t want to wait. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026 The chopper flew across New York harbor and landed at a Manhattan heliport, where Maduro, limping, was loaded into an armored vehicle. — Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026 South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor scored on an 80-yard reception in the second quarter and ran into the tunnel limping following the play. — CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025 Springer fell to the ground in pain and was eventually helped off the field limping. — Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025 Once off the field, Burrow was observed limping in the tunnel of the stadium with no shoe on his left foot. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 Sep. 2025

Verb

The couple soon realized Apex had a bandage on his left shoulder and was still limping. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 Dart was eventually escorted to the locker room, limping there under his own power. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026 The 24-year-old Williams was limping badly as he was helped off the field. — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026 Los Bravos are limping into things a bit, with a 7-8 record in September. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026 With the end of the regular season two weeks away, Aaron Boone is limping to the finish line. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026 The excitement turned to worry quickly as Darnold came up limping after a third-down sack by Dre’Mont Jones on the first drive. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 The Seattle Seahawks had barely unveiled their 2025 championship banner when quarterback Sam Darnold started limping. — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 The excitement turned to worry quickly as Darnold came up limping following a third-down sack by Dre’Mont Jones on the first drive. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for limping

Noun

Someone lying on the floor could be battered by exhaustion or genuinely in need.

— Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
According to Ayer, that exhaustion showed up in the movie, as Pitt couldn’t relax or rely on the typical comforts of a film set.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhaustion

Verb

An offseason filled with roster shuffling continued Tuesday for the Charlotte Hornets, who completed a three-player deal with Atlanta to land another guard with perimeter shooting potential.

— Staff reports, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026
The video, made in collaboration with faceless director Lauzza, features buildings shuffling on beat and other excerpts of British culture.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of shuffling

Verb

One of my favorite projects involved walking across the largest city in the Lower 48, only with the general framework of a plan, stumbling upon all kinds of interesting people, places and history.

— Mark Woods, Florida Times-Union, 20 Sep. 2026
Ian informs the sisters that Kylie isn’t merely stumbling into arcane rituals; someone is drawing her to the dark side.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of stumbling

Verb

Ted, naturally, advises everyone to stay positive, but the outlook isn’t great, and it’s not helped by the team doctor dragging his feet about seeing the Greyhounds star, which Keeley immediately clocks as sexism.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
This movement of the fabric can shorten a hemline and secure a train so someone can easily move about without tripping or having extra fabric dragging on the ground.

— Shelby Wax, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of dragging

Noun

With morale flagging as the war in Europe drags on, the 6888th is sent abroad to clear 17 million pieces of mail that are sitting undelivered, creating a lifeline to families back home and keeping our soldiers going.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
Warships may board vessels suspected of piracy, slave trading, statelessness or false flagging.

— John Calabrese, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

Definition of flagging

Verb

Judge could be seen grimacing on a check swing during the third inning and hobbling in the outfield during the fifth inning.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Galapagos tortoises live so long that one of them hobbling around today could have encountered Charles Darwin in 1835.

— Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of hobbling

Verb

The film followed the trials of a struggling keyboardist who gets hold of a magical synthesizer, only to lose it and embark on a picaresque journey to get it back.

— Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
In other words, Yemen and the Houthis may seem like yet another distant problem to Americans, many of whom are understandably fatigued by foreign interventions, and struggling with a spiraling cost of living.

— Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of struggling

Verb

Shopping is also often easier to do manually, largely because of restrictions that prevent bots from crawling websites.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
While Macbeth is constantly crawling out of his skin, Kelsey sings the role with a relaxed confidence that is a pleasure to listen to, if dramatically disorienting.

— Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of crawling

Browse Nearby Words

limpidness

limping

limpness

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Style

“Limping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limping. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of limping

noun

verb

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