skulk 1 of 2

Definition of skulknext
1
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner I thought I saw someone skulking about in the shadows

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2
as in to hide
to remain out of sight the animal control officers caught the stray cat that had been skulking behind some trash cans

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skulk

2 of 2

noun

as in weasel
someone who acts in a sly and secret manner were surprised to discover the skulk stealing from the garden was a raccoon

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How is the word skulk distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of skulk are lurk, slink, and sneak. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

When is it sensible to use lurk instead of skulk?

While in some cases nearly identical to skulk, lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

Where would slink be a reasonable alternative to skulk?

The synonyms slink and skulk are sometimes interchangeable, but slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

In what contexts can sneak take the place of skulk?

The words sneak and skulk can be used in similar contexts, but sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

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 skulk
Verb
This leaves Stephen skulking away to plot his revenge some other way. Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026 One roach skulked under a food prep table. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025 The Serious-Minded Coach would hide behind the cloak of plausible deniability and let his agent do the dirty work before skulking out of town to his next gig. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025 Soon after My Bloody Valentine skulked into the Wembley Arena spotlights, the initial roar of some 12,000 fans abated. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skulk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulk
Verb
  • Saturn Saturn, lurking near the border of the constellations Cetus the Whale and Pisces the Fishes, sneaks up in the east around the start of morning twilight.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 May 2026
  • No one wants to be abrupt and just hang up, but there might also be some one-upmanship lurking below the surface.
    Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • To add order, cabinets hide toys, there’s a small desk for homework, and East London Cloth café curtains filter the light.
    Katherine Burns Olson, Architectural Digest, 1 May 2026
  • The Harrison County Health Department notes dark clothing resembles the shadows mosquitoes hide in.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Skunks are mammals that are more like weasels than rodents.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The little animals that will come to be emblematic of the 2026 Games are stoats, extremely cute critters that in real life are related to the weasel and the otter.
    Mark Scaglione, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Other methods of sneaking contraband into a prison include throwing it over a facility’s fence, coordinating through the mail and, in some cases, involving corrupt corrections officers.
    Taylor Galgano, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
  • Much like his Game 1 game-winning goal, Mattias Samuelsson used a screen from the towering Thompson to sneak a long-range shot past Jeremy Swayman on the short side.
    Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Power is not the constraint Detectability depends less on total power and more on direction—whether Earth happens to lie inside the beam.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
  • But just a few miles away from Chicago and Schapiro’s avant-garde wonderland, in West Hollywood, lay another IRL feminist utopia called Fanny Hill.
    Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Only about 30 percent of all nests evade their many predators, including skunks, opossums, raccoons, coyotes, snakes, and even domestic dogs and cats.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
  • That means don’t send your dog out to charge a skunk, and don’t go outside banging on pots and pans or yelling, which is only going to make the skunk feel threatened.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Ventura County Fire Department said the woman was walking along Long Canyon Trail in Wood Ranch when the snake bit her.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 1 May 2026
  • The copperhead snake is the most common and prevalent venomous snake in the state, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's website.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Skulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulk. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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