1
as in shuffles
to walk while favoring one leg
she limped all day after stubbing her toe on the lawn sprinkler
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbles
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
the damaged boat limped back into port
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in drags
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 limps
After the midterm elections are over, the focus gradually shifts to the next presidential election, and the incumbent president increasingly limps like a lame duck.
—
Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026
Aside from creating the maze and covering it in snow, Pawbert limps his way through the maze, very much in homage to Jack Nicholson’s character.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025
Tymere Jackson suffers a blow to his groin, and limps off the field.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 8 Nov. 2025
When there is much spectacle, substance limps behind, and that must be the judgement of what was achieved between India and China at Tianjin.
—Shyam Saran, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Nashville limps into the playoffs having just lost one of its top players to injury/retirement in Michelle Esquivel, while California netted a premier-level player in Martin Emmrich at the trade deadline, who seems to have energized the Black Bears heading into the playoffs.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026
Aside from creating the maze and covering it in snow, Pawbert limps his way through the maze, very much in homage to Jack Nicholson’s character.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025
Tymere Jackson suffers a blow to his groin, and limps off the field.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 8 Nov. 2025
When there is much spectacle, substance limps behind, and that must be the judgement of what was achieved between India and China at Tianjin.
—Shyam Saran, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Nashville limps into the playoffs having just lost one of its top players to injury/retirement in Michelle Esquivel, while California netted a premier-level player in Martin Emmrich at the trade deadline, who seems to have energized the Black Bears heading into the playoffs.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limps
Verb
-
Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ennin gets up and stumbles down the block before collapsing next to a building.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The scenes that work less well and seem virtually superfluous are those with Kumail Nanjiani as Adeel, an environmental activist who drags Aaron along with him to break into a fracking site that is disturbing the breeding ground of…the sage grouse.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The agent sprays Pretti with a chemical irritant and drags him to his knees as Pretti pulls at the backpack of the other bystander, potentially reaching for a water bottle.—
Thomas Bordeaux,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Carolyn switches her nail color from a bold red to a blander shade; John hobbles out of his George magazine office wearing a cast on his left ankle due to a paragliding accident.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Kittle hobbles off the field George Kittle limped off the field late in the third quarter with an ankle injury amid a productive night.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Traveling around the world, arranging meetings with whoever is the oldest at that particular moment in time, Green struggles to formulate the right questions to ask these people.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Azad doesn’t know that she’s adopted, and Rojîn struggles with how to tell her.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
23 Jan. 2026
-
In the video, the coyote crawls out of the water and struggles to get his footing once on the rocks.—
Amanda Hari,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Should any of these conditions not be met, the contract halts and notifies all relevant parties.—
Matthew Kayser,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Flights at New York City at LaGuardia Airport and JFK faced slight delays and halts Saturday afternoon.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Moon also pokes lucky Jupiter in your very own sign, which pushes you to show up boldly without overextending yourself.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Is every head that pokes in to look at me actually Frank himself?—
Shane Kowalski,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Limps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limps. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
