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

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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
In 1932, Carlos (Milo Quifes) is a young man in Grenada at a time when Spain is lurching uncomfortably towards an ever-increasing spiteful intolerance of homosexuality. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 And there was a frenzy as one man, grimacing and sweating, lurched along pulling a truck with a rope. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
How many comic-book films would dare to leave their audience in a lurch, even for just a few minutes? — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 Between 1200Boom’s patient lurch and slaq’s feverish run-on, both rappers’ cadences unfurl like rugs. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 26 June 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
  • The most sensual scene in the movie is actually a dance number at a public gathering where the two characters slowly sway and caress each other, much to the horror and confusion of the other townsfolk.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • This phenomenon has similarly been demonstrated in prediction markets, which have been shown to sway voters almost as much as polls.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • The path to Democratic control is steeper in the Senate, where elections are staggered.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Spoelstra staggered Adebayo and Antetokounmpo’s minutes with these bench lineups.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • Heavy rain has already caused problems in the county, including a washout on County Road 500 late last month.
    — Jeff Todd, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Massive waves also stripped millions of cubic yards of sand from Southern California beaches, and sections of the Pacific Coast Highway suffered severe flooding, mudslides and washouts.
    — Gary Griggs, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • Sitake winds up practice with a prayer and insists that the defense and offense shake hands after going at one another all day.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mothers who beat, shook, shot, drowned, strangled, and stabbed their babies.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • Mohamud also warned of a possible secondary collapse, as the collapsed building was leaning on its neighbor.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Spirit Airlines' ghost planes The problems with young retirements predate Spirit's collapse.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstrations are also rocking many European cities Saturday from Milan to Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But beyond artsy activities, this tablet also rocks powerful performance thanks to 8GB of expandable memory and 256GB of local storage.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • Barring no upsets over the next two weeks (which is far from a given), the winner of that game very well could decide who goes to Charlotte.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Garrett Rogan sacked Derek Morgan on third-and-goal from the 2-yard line and the clock ran out to give Villanova a second straight upset of Lehigh, winning 24-18 on Saturday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • The essay convinced me that Woodward stopped being a journalist after his great work with Carl Bernstein during the Watergate fiasco.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • After a bad debate against challenger Nithya Raman over the summer and the fiasco that was City Hall’s response to the Lineage fire, the incumbent had no other way forward but attack, attack, attack.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiasco

Browse Nearby Words

lunkheads
lurch
lurched
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Cite this Entry

“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurch. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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