1
as in swaying
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 staggering
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 lurching
These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.
—
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 May 2026
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Another neighbor recalled an elevator lurching between floors.
—Elle McLogan, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Still, morale is much worse compared with December 2024, before DOGE took aim at the health agency's budgets and staffing, and before rounds of lurching job cuts and reinstatements left thousands of CDC workers in limbo or severed from their careers.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
There are plenty of differences, but the stability Atleti have fostered in sticking with Simeone stands in stark contrast to Spurs’ habit of lurching between managers, styles and approaches.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Brant, who was elected in a special election in August, inherited an office already in disarray, in a county that has spent the past year lurching from one government crisis to the next.
—Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 19 Feb. 2026
Hence the lurching shift in financing.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 May 2026
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Another neighbor recalled an elevator lurching between floors.
—Elle McLogan, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Still, morale is much worse compared with December 2024, before DOGE took aim at the health agency's budgets and staffing, and before rounds of lurching job cuts and reinstatements left thousands of CDC workers in limbo or severed from their careers.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
There are plenty of differences, but the stability Atleti have fostered in sticking with Simeone stands in stark contrast to Spurs’ habit of lurching between managers, styles and approaches.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Brant, who was elected in a special election in August, inherited an office already in disarray, in a county that has spent the past year lurching from one government crisis to the next.
—Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 19 Feb. 2026
Hence the lurching shift in financing.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurching
Verb
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Post-breakfast, ditch the golf cart to the beach and instead take the steps down through the spine of the resort, deep within the swaying trees.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
There were bird feeders hanging from the trees, fountains for the pollinators, and wind chimes swaying to and fro from the back porch.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Expect Maxey and Embiid to both play well today, and for the Philly faithful to have the arena rocking.—
David Troy,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
Arrowhead Stadium would be rocking on a cool late fall evening.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Facebook groups and other online communities have sprung up around shuffling, allowing expats navigating all sorts of situations to compare notes and share strategies.—
Carole Rosenblat,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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But sometimes, simply shuffling the pieces can help, in our view.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Structure information summary Most structures in this region are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
10 May 2026
-
About 180,000 people experienced light to strong shaking, according to the USGS.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
For an outdoor wedding, get that fairytale feel by weaving fresh greenery sprigs into the braid.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
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The other drops deep to facilitate and dictate, weaving himself into the very fabric of Simeone’s build-up.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurching. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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