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 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 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 Dark romance deals in taboo, whether that be power dynamics between lovers or danger lurking beyond a relationship. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 18 July 2026 Helen and Daniel also spend some time lurking on the dark web, looking for an audio recording of the final minutes before Charlotte crashed. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 July 2026 There is also, obviously, a music nerd lurking beneath the superstar exterior. — Riann Phillip, Vogue, 15 July 2026 Delving back into 11 years of archival data, the team found the third planet lurking in various images. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 July 2026 The key to making all of this work is really Deutch, who knows how to lace an all-American sweetness with a sense of anarchy lurking right below the surface. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurking
  1. sneaking
  2. hiding
  3. slipping
  4. lying
  5. sliding
Verb
  • Swift, though, is adept at sneaking into places — including GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium — undetected.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
  • Truelove was apprehended after sneaking into Rockefeller Center’s Studio 1A to search for 71-year-old Roker.
    — Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
Definition of sneaking
Verb
  • Infectious disease specialists aren't disinfecting every surface or hiding from the outside world.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 27 July 2026
  • My son’s lizard looks emaciated and spends all day and night hiding underneath a piece of wood.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • When the device first appeared on the rumor mill, it was tipped for a potential 2025 arrival, before slipping to spring 2026.
    — Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Mercado opened the scoring in the 17th minute, slipping behind the Wave's back line before meeting Ainsley McCammon’s cross with a header for her third goal in three matches.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 July 2026
Definition of slipping
Verb
  • The detective noted that Ramirez then appeared to get pulled under the vehicle, and then was lying motionless.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
  • Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth, at least for now, sidesteps calls for his prosecution if he is accused of lying at Wednesday’s hearing, part of a yearslong campaign for his arrest spearheaded by some Republicans in Congress.
    — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of lying
Verb
  • 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
  • In the meantime, relatively strong iPhone and Mac sales in this quarter didn’t stop Apple’s stock value from sliding around eight percent in after-hours trading.
    — Samuel Axon, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2026
Definition of sliding

Browse Nearby Words

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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 2 Aug. 2026.

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