lurk

verb

ˈlərk How to pronounce lurk (audio)
Definition of lurknext
1
as in to sneak
to move about in a sly or secret manner we caught a glimpse of someone lurking around the corner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to hide
to remain out of sight watch out for snakes lurking in the tall grass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lurk distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of lurk are skulk, slink, and sneak. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

When might skulk be a better fit than lurk?

Although the words skulk and lurk have much in common, skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

When is slink a more appropriate choice than lurk?

The words slink and lurk can be used in similar contexts, but slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

Where would sneak be a reasonable alternative to lurk?

While the synonyms sneak and lurk are close in meaning, sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

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 lurk Possibility lurks everywhere, even after losses. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025 More recession signals were lurking in the latest jobs data. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025 Meantime, the Giants, winners of five straight, are lurking just four games behind that small logjam. —Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025 Folklore portrays them as menacing figures lurking in the darkness who can possess those who wander too far from home. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lurk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurk
  1. sneak
  2. hide
  3. slip
  4. lie
Verb
  • During in-class exams, screens may be locked or recording technology may be employed, but students have ways around these, too—sneaking phones in, for example.
    — Ashanty Rosario, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2025
  • On the wing of the plane, Bond lands a one-liner before engaging in multiple fistfights, all controlled by the player, before sneaking inside.
    — Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • In corroborating much of the testimony Pentagon intelligence official David Grusch offered in July 2023, Elizondo also accused the Department of Defense of hiding its UFO programs from Congress while misappropriating funds to operate them.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Coel, the boundary-pushing revelation from I May Destroy You, is a perfect foil, hiding Lori’s feelings behind her deadpan delivery, unblinking sphinx-like stare and wary body language but poised to shoot barbs when the moment calls for them.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Definition of hide
Verb
  • The ball slipped through Mason’s hands, and what would have been a touchdown turned into a turnover on downs, effectively ending the 49ers’ comeback hopes.
    — Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
  • By the episode's end, however, he's set his sights on Morgan, having surreptitiously slipped a note into her grocery bag.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Definition of slip
Verb
  • The league table never lies, after all.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Paramedics who responded to the scene said the area was chaotic and covered in broken glass, with people wounded and lying unconscious on the road and a sidewalk near the bus stop.
    — Bradford Betz , Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of lie

Browse Nearby Words

luring
lurk
lurked
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Cite this Entry

“Lurk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurk. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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