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

Relevance
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 Something like that could be lurking for enrollees next year. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026 The consequences of synthetic content lurking on social media are not hypothetical. — Ofer Familier, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 There’s something lurking in the waters off the coast of Newfoundland in Netflix‘s latest drama series Below. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 28 July 2026 The problem arises when dust is lurking in unexpected places. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026 Everyone in France has been more than aware of Zidane’s presence lurking off stage for the last few years. — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Is the Caped Crusader lurking in the periphery of Matt’s vision? — Entertainment Weekly, 21 July 2026 These pests are excellent hiders, but they can often be spotted lurking under plant leaves and around plant crowns. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 20 July 2026 American Ryan Gerard and Australian Lucas Herbert were three shots back, while big names like Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Åberg sat several shots back but were lurking. — Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurking
  1. sneaking
  2. hiding
  3. slipping
  4. lying
  5. sliding
Verb
  • Remember, unlike your teenager breaking curfew and sneaking out of the house, this all happens at AI pace and AI scale.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Swift, though, is adept at sneaking into places — including GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium — undetected.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
Definition of sneaking
Verb
  • Pittsboro has neither beaches nor mountains, but don’t count it out as a relaxing getaway just yet; this small town is hiding a Relais & Châteaux inn, restaurant, and spa.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Ligdis called emergency services to report his trespassing while hiding in the laundry room.
    — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Calls range from people accidentally slipping into the river and overturned kayaks to boating emergencies and people intentionally entering the water.
    — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Jupiter showed cloud bands and its Great Red Spot could be seen just slipping off the edge, with three of its moons also in the field.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of slipping
Verb
  • After Malawi earned a red card and dropped to 10 players against Egypt on Saturday, Chinzimu’s deep-lying defensive efforts kept them in the match for a 3-1 victory.
    — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Nobody tries to diagnose their own chest pain by lying still and concentrating harder.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of lying
Verb
  • An Intensity Slider – a simple sliding bar adjustment for controlling the depth, vibrancy, brightness and contrast of the TV’s pictures to compensate for viewing angles, onscreen reflections and simply different viewing tastes.
    — John Archer, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Originally housing offices, its heyday in Detroit’s industrial age was brief, sliding into decline in the 1960s and ultimately going vacant.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of sliding

Browse Nearby Words

lurkers
lurking
lurks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lurking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurking. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lurking

Nglish: Translation of lurking for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All