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
as in washout
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lurch
David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
Over the course of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s term, CPS has lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis, able only to muddle through due to record-breaking mayoral declarations of tax-increment-financing surpluses.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
And yet, two-thirds into the song’s six-minute lurch, a beaming synth line appears like a biblical burst of light, a plea for sanctuary from perpetual chaos.
—Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Verb
There’s always a powerful urge to bury the whole trauma, to lurch toward normalcy, whatever that may be historically.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
Over the course of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s term, CPS has lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis, able only to muddle through due to record-breaking mayoral declarations of tax-increment-financing surpluses.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
The hope is that the institutional reforms started by the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus deliver the necessary checks and balances to avert another lurch toward despotism.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
And yet, two-thirds into the song’s six-minute lurch, a beaming synth line appears like a biblical burst of light, a plea for sanctuary from perpetual chaos.
—Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurch
Verb
-
Anunoby isn’t convinced the New York spotlight will be enough to sway voters.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But Joy isn’t swayed by his appeal.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From Ventura to Santa Barbara, gulls, pelicans, murres, and grebes staggered along beaches, unable to fly.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Hunt times are staggered according to age groups.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The rain will not be a washout, but rather a series of brief showers continuing through the morning hours.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
After 48 years of unsuccessful politicking, one might be tempted to call the idea of indexing capital gains a certified washout.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When the clock finally ran out, Auriemma walked straight to the tunnel and didn’t shake hands.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The UConn players and assistant coaches shook hands with the South Carolina coaches and players after the game but Auriemma walked off the court after the game.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cenotes are freshwater sinkhole caves formed from the collapse of limestone bedrock.—
Ryan Brennan
April 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
-
While the officiating certainly didn’t help the Huskies, their Final Four collapse went far beyond the way the game was called.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The boat is seen rocking back and forth due to the big waves.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The crowd was mostly Illini fans, and the stadium was rocking in anticipation of a dramatic comeback, shades of the 2005 Elite Eight win over Arizona.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Then Badgers guards John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, who had fueled a February upset of the Illini, took over.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Mamdani’s primary upset in June, 2025, marked a triumph for Van Auken’s electoral philosophy.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And then there was the Byju’s fiasco.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
-
To hear the critics’ version of events, an unprovoked and unnecessary attack on Iran, launched at Israel’s behest, is already a foreign-policy fiasco that has put the global economy at risk without any clear objective or endgame.—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurch. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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