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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

The Lakers were without new guard Collin Sexton (calf) and first-round pick Cameron Carr (oblique), and swingman Jake LaRavia left the court limping in the fourth quarter. — CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 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 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

In the Lone Star State, Vanity Fair finds a crucial Senate campaign limping toward the finish line. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 30 Oct. 2026 Seek out care sooner when pain causes limping, swelling persists, function declines, or an injury follows a fall. — Michael Swartzon, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 Young came up limping after getting sacked by Mason Graham on a fourth-and-3 play in the second quarter. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 1 Oct. 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for limping

Noun

This is a war film in style and substance, emphasizing the mental exhaustion of a country that cannot handle any more carnage.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Grief brings a lot of physical exhaustion with mental exhaustion.

— Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of exhaustion

Verb

That's because astronomers have discovered two husks of two zombie planets shuffling through the gory remains of what was once their planetary neighbors around a long-deceased star, or white dwarf.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2026
In late 2026, reports came out that SpaceX is shuffling its staff in an attempt to focus its resources on developing and commercializing Starship, while phasing out the Falcon 9.

— Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of shuffling

Verb

After stumbling into an intro to acting class, the 28-year-old quickly caught the professor’s attention.

— Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026
The Chargers are the NFL’s only remaining winless team, stumbling to an 0-6 start for the first time since 2000.

— Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumbling

Verb

Difficulties dragging the Tyler Technologies project over the finish line dogged Preckwinkle throughout the primary.

— A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
After years of dragging friends through intense physical activities—zip-lining, gymnastics, pole, and even aerial skills—a game show felt like a lighter option, something everyone could enjoy.

— Chanté Joseph, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of dragging

Noun

With trimethylaminuria diagnosable by urine test and Degree flagging diabetes and kidney issues as possible drivers, a sudden shift in body odor is increasingly treated as a symptom worth reporting.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of flagging

Verb

The Republican candidate has been hobbling through the race, with lackluster fundraising and a long history of personal and legal scandals casting a pall over his candidacy.

— Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
More than doubling the cost of the latest iPhone might risk pricing out customers and hobbling Apple’s ubiquity, analysts suggested.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of hobbling

Verb

Florida was struggling under interim coach Billy Gonzales, a longtime Meyer assistant, and the Gators failed to carry any emotion into a 31-11 loss as the Vols’ ended two-decade drought in Swamp.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
The outlet suggested Lively and Reynolds were putting on a brave face for the cameras but struggling behind-the-scenes.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of struggling

Verb

Insects crawling around three-compartment sink and hand wash sink in kitchen.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Pack a blackout sleep mask just in case There’s nothing worse than finally crawling into your hotel bed after a long travel day, only to discover that the curtains don’t fully close and a streetlight is shining directly onto your pillow.

— Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 1 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of limping

noun

verb

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