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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lurches
Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025
That film begins with charismatic bank robber Ryan Gosling in a thrilling motorcycle escape from the cops, and moves through several twists and turns, lurches forward in time, and holds Gosling at its heart as a man doing bad things for good reasons.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025
That film begins with charismatic bank robber Ryan Gosling in a thrilling motorcycle escape from the cops, and moves through several twists and turns, lurches forward in time, and holds Gosling at its heart as a man doing bad things for good reasons.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurches
Verb
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The final shot sees Tom gazing out the window as a curtain gently sways in the warm breeze.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
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Hundreds of baskets holding young oysters called spat are strung along a line that floats on the surface and sways like a long black snake in the water.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hothead follows, and, when the lawyer staggers out to take a leak, Hothead shoves a gardening fork through his neck.—
Jo Livingstone,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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Make the most of the shoulder seasons Almost all schools in England enjoy the long summer break at the same time (unlike in Scotland, which staggers its school vacation time for each region).—
Lottie Gross,
AFAR Media,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The memories of those late-game collapses crept in when the Sabres’ 4-2 lead became 4-3 early in the third period.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Credit has become a hot topic in the market lately due to the notable collapses of auto parts manufacturer First Brands Group and the subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rudy rocks it as Frankenstein Tiny tot Rudy rocked a green-and-black Frankenstein hat and jacket, which cost around $20.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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This 50-inch Hisense TV rocks a 4K UHD with HDR10 and Dolby Vision that make your shows pop.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The storm also left people trapped in seven vehicles on nearby roads after overflowing creeks caused washouts, deputies said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The agency expects to hire 8,900 new air traffic controllers by 2028, but because of factors like attrition, retirements and program washouts, this will only result in 1,000 more certified controllers, according to FAA documents.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Occasional use of those protein powders isn’t as concerning as a person making protein shakes three times a day.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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Today, Braum’s sells hamburgers, sundaes, banana splits, malts, shakes.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Blasena emphasizes that lighting and draping that eliminates unsightly walls can make a space feel intimate, while a focal bar, signature cocktails, a photo booth, and late-night tchotchkes, such as glow sticks, flashing glasses, and flip flops, can amp up the atmosphere.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
24 Oct. 2025
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Flip flops are discouraged as well.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Barring any massive upsets next week, this game is for the Epsilon League championship.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
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Nothing should be taken for granted, but with only Syracuse, NC State, Boston College and Pitt left on their ACC slate, the Yellow Jackets would likely have to absorb two significant upsets to miss out on the ACC title game.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lurches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurches. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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