1
as in sways
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 staggers
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lurches
Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
After a moment of hesitation, Harington lurches forward and plants a passionate kiss on Turner, who responds in kind.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
When, at my photographer’s request, the president approaches the window of his office to open the blinds, his bodyguard lurches forward to close them.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Sometimes an unexpected event lurches family members into becoming caregivers.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026
Three seconds later, the Honda crashes into a parked car with such force its tires fly off the street, the pile of cars lurches forward several feet and snow billows.
—Claire Galofaro, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
As one officer reaches for the SUV's door handle, the vehicle lurches backward and then begins moving forward, rightward, seemingly away from the officers.
—Justin Gomez, ABC News, 8 Jan. 2026
Then the vehicle lurches forward again.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
The conversation lurches from the furniture to groceries and health, to the price of fuel and the view out the window.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
After a moment of hesitation, Harington lurches forward and plants a passionate kiss on Turner, who responds in kind.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
When, at my photographer’s request, the president approaches the window of his office to open the blinds, his bodyguard lurches forward to close them.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Sometimes an unexpected event lurches family members into becoming caregivers.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026
Three seconds later, the Honda crashes into a parked car with such force its tires fly off the street, the pile of cars lurches forward several feet and snow billows.
—Claire Galofaro, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
As one officer reaches for the SUV's door handle, the vehicle lurches backward and then begins moving forward, rightward, seemingly away from the officers.
—Justin Gomez, ABC News, 8 Jan. 2026
Then the vehicle lurches forward again.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
The conversation lurches from the furniture to groceries and health, to the price of fuel and the view out the window.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurches
Verb
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What to Expect From ‘Reminders of Him’ The film barely sways from the book, which has sold more than 6 million copies, a decision Caswill says was intentional after reading the screenplay by Lauren Levine and Hoover.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
11 Mar. 2026
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Williams turns his ear for propulsive and bombastic melodies onto traditional Japanese instrumentation, creating a work that sways between gentle, meditative themes for the titular geisha (Ziyi) and heart-pounding selections to fill out her chaotic, tragic life.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.—
Steven Walker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.—
Fielding Buck,
Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the Santiago de Cuba province, housing damage was particularly severe, with 95,000 homes affected, 2,300 total collapses, and 6,000 complete roof failures.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
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Building collapses are common in Nairobi, where housing is in high demand and unscrupulous developers often bypass regulations or simply violate building codes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Now 71, Funderburgh still rocks a pompadour — albeit smaller and streaked with silver — that once inspired former bandmate Mike Judge to sketch Beavis.—
Thor Christensen,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
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View gallery - 8 images Vinyl records have been finding more and more new ears in recent years, and Mixx Audio has a novel turntable to help keep the groove moving – one that also rocks a CD player plonked right in the middle of the platter, as well as flexible connectivity.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Expectations going up after two straight Playoff washouts.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
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In optimal conditions, most vehicles can make it, but high clearance is strongly recommended—especially in winter and after storms, when washouts, flooding, or snow accumulation are possible.—
Taryn Shorr-Mckee,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Famously there is a leap day every four years—that shakes things up.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
13 Mar. 2026
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Warning shot Rick Jackson shakes hands with Georgia Republican Party Accounting Director Karen Hentschel after qualifying to run for governor at the State Capitol on Friday.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their rubber outsole has decent traction to get me there and back (way better than flip flops), and the interior synthetic dries quickly.—
Lisa Jhung,
Outside,
11 Mar. 2026
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Kuailu Flip-flops with Arch Support Thousands of shoppers are raving about these best-selling flip-flops, thanks to their comfortable arch support, non-slip soles, and stylish design.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Every year brings surprising upsets, meaning a little luck can go a long way, and even casual fans can stay in contention all the way to the championship game on April 6.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Most of the surveys circulated by Texas campaigns, universities and advocacy groups in the days and weeks leading up to the primary pointed to tight races or looming upsets in the major races, but several proved off the mark once ballots were counted.—
Karen Brooks Harper
Austin Bureau,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurches. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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