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
Initial data indicates both of these earthquakes were strike-slip, Magnani said, meaning one plate lurched past the other along the boundary. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 25 June 2026 Taking the ride with Lazy Horse means embracing that chaos, lurching from song to song. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 June 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
  • Two men who were with Salgado Araujo disputed the government’s account, saying the agents’ vehicles bumped into them and then swayed into the van, forcing them to stop.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies’ management decisions, efficiency and financials.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 15 July 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • This proposal establishes staggered 18-year terms of active service, allowing every president to appoint exactly two justices per term.
    — Dale V.C. Holness, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
  • Clay Lockhart staggered back to his house, shoulders bent under the weight of grief and the work of digging.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 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 question is whether Thompson will shake free from the Mavericks, either through a buyout or trade.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The wine and cocktail menu sports a few local makers too, including Gruet Winery’s sparkling wine and Hollow Spirits vodka, which is shaken into the restaurant’s take on a Vesper martini.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • But analysts such as London and Malick don’t see anything coming as severe as the housing collapse that triggered the 2008 Great Recession, or even very much negative about the current situation.
    — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • Friday’s national collapse of the electricity system is the fourth this year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • The deaths of three people in a boat crash on Lake Pepin over the weekend have rocked the small town situated in southeastern Minnesota on the Mississippi River.
    — Ashley Grams, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Mindy Kaling rocks a butter yellow outfit outside Good Morning America on July 9 in New York City.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
Definition of rock
Noun
  • The next time the Seminoles took the field, Georgia Tech pulled off an upset in Ireland, 24-21.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • The underdog pulled off the upset against the consensus favorite, stunning France with a 2-0 victory to advance.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
Definition of upset
Noun
  • Harry's decision comes amid an ongoing security fiasco concerning the safety of Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • Add in a fiasco of a camp, where celebrities had access to the team’s hotel, and subpar performances in defeats against Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia, and the hoodoo appeared stronger than ever.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 4 July 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 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lurch

Nglish: Translation of lurch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lurch

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