lurked

past tense of lurk
1
as in sneaked
to move about in a sly or secret manner we caught a glimpse of someone lurking around the corner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lurked But trouble lurked in a left-field box seat — and at shortstop. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026 Former landlords lurked in bushes or on roofs or waited in cars outside our home. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Danger lurked in the shady groves of avocado trees that stretched on the mountainsides as far as the eye could see. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 Rhetoric that had lurked in conspiracy-minded corners of the internet was now coming from the federal government itself. — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026 For years, Cole was mystified by a small, beanlike object with stripes which lurked in the background of certain drawings. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 The city of Atlanta has jurisdiction over Hartsfield-Jackson, but the threat of a state takeover of the world’s busiest airport has lurked in the background of Georgia politics for years. — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 5 Aug. 2026 But concerns lurked beneath the surface of an otherwise positive report. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 On April 29, the loose body that lurked in the backdrop all along became lodged inside Skubal’s elbow joint in front of the world. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurked
Verb
  • In 2026, Southlake Carroll snuck into the playoffs with a 6-8 District 4-6A record, continuing a playoff streak that began in 1999.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
  • On fourth-and-four — fourth-and-ballgame, fourth-and-win streak, fourth-and-dethroning Big Ten royalty Ohio State — Marsh snuck to the left edge of the end zone.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Shares of the tech giant slipped 2% after OpenAI said that its models will be available for developers via Google's cloud.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s popularity has slipped, even in conservative strongholds such as Kansas.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Deckers Outdoor – Shares of the footwear maker slid about 8% after its revenue for the fiscal second quarter missed analyst expectations.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Stocks slid sharply on Thursday amid mounting concerns over whether massive investments in artificial intelligence will pay off and high oil prices.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lurked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurked. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster