lurch 1 of 2

verb

ˈlərch How to pronounce lurch (audio)
Definition of lurchnext
1
as in to sway
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side dressed in his zombie costume, the boy lurched down the street in his quest for Halloween candy

Synonyms & Similar Words

lurch

2 of 2

noun

as in washout

Related Words

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 lurch
Verb
For example, New York endured weather whiplash on July 18 as the city lurched from a heat wave and smoke pollution from Canadian wildfires to flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms that dumped a few inches of rain in a short period of time. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026 There are vivid characters—the rich, distinguished crook Brandon, the platinum-blond secretary Miss Vermilyea; Javonen, ex-military intelligence, and seedy private eye from Kansas, Noble, who might have lurched out of an early Graham Greene story. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Noun
The lurch from declaring fears about Iran to be mere media exaggerations to invoking imminent threat, from demanding the Nobel Peace Prize to luxuriating in lethality, is the essence of the autocrat’s monopoly on unpredictability. — Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026 The leftward lurch could cost Republicans control of Congress for the president’s final two years in office. — Steve Peoples, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lurch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurch
  1. sway
  2. stagger
  3. washout
  4. shake
  5. collapse
  6. rock
  7. upset
  8. fiasco
Verb
  • Bush tried to capitalize on voter sentiment souring on Israel and the rise of other progressives, but that wasn't enough to sway Missouri voters who stuck with the incumbent.
    — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The House settlement authorizes the CSC to review NIL deals for evidence of possible recruiting inducements and similar forms of compensation used to sway where athletes decide to play.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • The hole gently bends from right to left, with fairway bunkers staggered along both sides.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The political crisis has meant that legislative elections, originally scheduled for July 27, have now been staggered into three separate days over a period of two weeks.
    — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • There are a few isolated showers this afternoon and evening, but not a washout, and nothing severe is expected.
    — Mary Ours, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • While the day will not be a washout, residents should keep an umbrella handy for afternoon and evening activities.
    — Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • The heat now poses an additional danger to residents still shaken by the quake, many of whom are sleeping in their cars after their homes were damaged or destroyed.
    — Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Chad Gable and Penta shook hands as Gable’s family watched from ringside.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • Nonetheless, the quick collapse of the private equity proposal demonstrates that even a dominant FIFA president cannot override unified resistance from soccer’s most influential stakeholders.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Springs also earned his MLB-worst 11th loss of the season as his early exit set the stage for a late-inning bullpen collapse.
    — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Hicks said investigators were still working to determine a potential motive for the mass shooting, which rocked the small city in Idaho's Magic Valley.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The breach rocked sentiment on Crypto Twitter, with influencers and company executives commenting on its implications.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • El-Sayed's win is a boon for the left flank of the Democratic Party, which has recently scored upsets in New York and Colorado.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • However, the night was a team effort for Dallas, as the crew worked to fend off the Amps’ hunt for the biggest upset of this season.
    — Ava DiCecca, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • And outside of the biggest Kool-Aid® guzzlers in Cupertino, pretty much nobody thinks Apple is interested in going for another big bite of live sports, especially not in light of its MLS fiasco.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026
  • With yesterday's Fauci fiasco behind us, all the talk up here on the Hill is about Todd Blanche.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of fiasco

Browse Nearby Words

lunkheads
lurch
lurched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurch. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lurch

Nglish: Translation of lurch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lurch

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

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

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

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

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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