lurking

verb

present participle of lurk
1
as in sneaking
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 hiding
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 lurking Every facet of India’s topography, from lush grasslands filled with antelopes to gnarled forests with tigers and evil spirits lurking around every corner, is on full display. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2026 The Beast, or some Beast-like relative, also has been seen in Milwaukee, outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Lake Geneva and, across the state line, in Antioch, Galena and lurking near the Great Lakes Naval Station in Lake County. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026 The creepy creatures lurking on front lawns this Halloween season might just owe their frightful flair to a Charlotte resident. — Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2026 Clarke and Henrik Stenson appeared to be in a two-man race, with Mario Tiziani lurking, until none could keep with Sabbatini and his explosive final round. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 The Atlas Group primed viewers to read his documents as unstable, but the later work asks them to contend with shrunken objects, resurrected paintings, and vampires lurking in the archive. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 But with danger lurking around every corner, has the Duke’s unchecked ambition finally gone too far? — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026 Thankfully, there was nothing other than a funky DIY project lurking in the distance. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Unfortunately not, because another issue is lurking around the corner. — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurking
  1. sneaking
  2. hiding
  3. slipping
  4. lying
  5. sliding
Verb
  • Bus noise was a similar story, with the low engine rumble handled well and only some of the higher-frequency intermittent sounds sneaking through.
    — Christian de Looper, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • For a solid thirty minutes, the candidates defended their honor as the race’s most pro-Israel candidate — at times sneaking in jabs about their opponent.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneaking
Verb
  • Rice takes curious young readers on a tour of the natural world that’s hiding in plain sight, focusing on the ways that plants and animals communicate and connect.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • February 19 – March 20 An annoying little problem could be hiding a surprisingly easy fix.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Joggers Who doesn’t love slipping into sweatpants on crisp fall days?
    — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The album’s experimental bent is also what keeps the music from slipping into parody or, even worse, po-faced sincerity.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of slipping
Verb
  • An active participant in the protests, Hrka charged at Informer chief Vucicevic, accusing him of lying.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The agent, Christian Castro, is accused of lying about the shooting and faces both state and federal charges.
    — Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of lying
Verb
  • Leeds is in the zone here, and because most of the tracks are about the same length and there are no ambient interludes or pop-length counterbalances, the album’s lengthy runtime ends up sliding by pretty easily.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors said authorities responded to a report of a shattered sliding glass door and significant fire damage inside the home.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sliding

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lurking
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Cite this Entry

“Lurking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurking. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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