lurks

verb

present tense third-person singular of lurk
1
as in sneaks
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 hides
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 lurks As iconography that could unify through recognition that diversity lurks in everyone, the art was truly ahead of its time, and has become more necessary than ever. — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Jamon has left the past behind, but danger still lurks. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 June 2026 At the heart of our home galaxy lurks a gigantic black hole that’s more than a trillion times heavier than Earth, with all that mass stuffed into a region that is about 2,000 times wider than our planet. — Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 4 June 2026 The distant rumble of the Central line is a reminder that the real world lurks outside this cosseted haven. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026 What starts as a mystery becomes an existential horror film, a harrowing journey into a landscape in which death lurks around every corner. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 23 May 2026 But a killer by the name of Leather Man lurks. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 May 2026 Look to the eastern sky in the hour preceding dawn on May 14 to catch a rare sight, as the moon, Saturn and Mars form a cosmic triangle in the glow of the rising sun, while the ice giant Neptune lurks unseen nearby. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 12 May 2026 Magnetic and funny, Maris easily draws people into her orbit, but her nocturnal habits hint at a dangerous violence that lurks beneath the surface. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurks
  1. sneaks
  2. hides
  3. slips
  4. lies
Verb
  • Moana sneaks away and sets sail, with the ocean guiding her at every step.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • This episode sneaks some plot in toward the end, as the 10-Petal’s most skeptical cowboy, Austin, comes to Rip and finally — finally!
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of sneaks
Verb
  • Instead of correcting the error, the scheming matriarch hides him in the attic and collects a life insurance payout.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
  • Tides of Temptation is set on the lush island of Nevis, where paradise hides a dangerous undercurrent… and beautiful young Constance (Wilkerson) is trapped inside of it.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 July 2026
Definition of hides
Verb
  • The dress slips on and has no zippers or buttons for a crisp, clean look.
    — Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
  • Zverev slips The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his first break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in.
    — Andrew Dampf, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of slips
Verb
  • Within the large 45 mm rose-gold case lies a black-and-gold dial inspired by Johnson’s own tribal-style tattoo, which pays homage to his Samoan roots.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 July 2026
  • But beneath this charming Midwestern façade lies a fierce, rebellious soul.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of lies

Browse Nearby Words

lurking
lurks
luscious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lurks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurks. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lurks

Nglish: Translation of lurks 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 yaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

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
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All