Synonyms of lurches

lurches 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lurch

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

• sways
• rocks
• shakes
• wobbles
• careens
• tosses
• halts
• vibrates
• jerks
• rolls
• falters
• tumbles
• seesaws
• staggers
• vacillates
• stumbles
• totters
• waddles
• wavers
• flounders
• hobbles
• jolts
• toddles
• weaves
• teeters
• oscillates
• undulates
• reels
• pitches
• blunders
• hitches
• waggles
• dodders
• bucks
• wags

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

• staggers
• shuffles
• weaves
• stumbles
• totters
• waddles
• careens
• stomps
• teeters
• rolls
• sways
• reels
• rocks
• dodders
• wobbles
• wavers
• seesaws
• flounders
• clomps
• shambles
• barges
• clumps
• lumbers
• blunders
• pounds
• lumps
• stamps
• scuffs
• swags
• tramps
• tromps
• scuffles
• galumphs

lurches

2 of 2

noun

plural of lurch

as in collapses

Related Words

• collapses
• washouts
• flops
• upsets
• setbacks
• fizzles
• whitewashes
• debacles
• fiascoes
• shutouts
• failures
• overthrows
• defeats
• trimmings
• routs
• lickings
• nonsuccesses
• beatings
• whippings
• drubbings
• losses
• shellackings
• plasterings
• lumps

Dissimilar Words

• wins
• triumphs
• victories
• successes
• sweeps
• accomplishments
• achievements
• landslides
• runaways
• blowouts
• romps
• cakewalks
• walkaways
• walkovers

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lurches

Verb

The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026

By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026

Republicans’ hopes of holding on to their slim majorities in the House and Senate may well hinge on the cost at the pump as the war against Iran lurches into its second week. — Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Mar. 2026

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