1
as in lurking
to move about in a sly or secret manner
I thought I saw someone skulking about in the shadows
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in hiding
to remain out of sight
the animal control officers caught the stray cat that had been skulking behind some trash cans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skulking
Advertisement Some have described voting out of fear, with security personnel in traditional clothing and sunglasses and armed policemen skulking around polling areas, according to ABC.
—
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
This leaves Stephen skulking away to plot his revenge some other way.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026
The odd guy with the mustache (Martin Freeman) who’s constantly skulking around wherever Bundle happens to be?
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
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
No longer limited to skulking around on a bar cart, metallic finishes like aluminum and brass are in the midst of a dazzling comeback.
—Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
The seeds of the love triangle between Robert, Blazer, and Invisigal are firmly planted now and ready to bloom into a total shitshow — especially with the blonde hero’s recent breakup with her boyfriend Phenomaman, who’s skulking about in a deep depression.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
This leaves Stephen skulking away to plot his revenge some other way.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026
The odd guy with the mustache (Martin Freeman) who’s constantly skulking around wherever Bundle happens to be?
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
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
No longer limited to skulking around on a bar cart, metallic finishes like aluminum and brass are in the midst of a dazzling comeback.
—Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
The seeds of the love triangle between Robert, Blazer, and Invisigal are firmly planted now and ready to bloom into a total shitshow — especially with the blonde hero’s recent breakup with her boyfriend Phenomaman, who’s skulking about in a deep depression.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulking
Verb
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Something always seems to be lurking in the periphery, glinting off the edges of mirrors, flickering across those black wings offstage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Supply chain vulnerability Nowadays, there is a vulnerability lurking within the supply chain of the controllers themselves.—
Saman Zonouz,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead of hiding from mental illness, Kleckner’s artwork leaned into it.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Most think my cancer is just hiding.—
Howard Wolinsky,
STAT,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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They’re built with a cozy fleece lining that’ll keep your hands cozy and warm, and a wind-proof cuff that’ll keep any drafts from sneaking into them.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Jan. 2026
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Those against it will argue to do so rewards the criminal act of sneaking over the border.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In Milwaukee County, the District Attorney’s Office has long maintained a list of law enforcement officers accused of lying, breaking the law, or acting in a way that erodes their credibility to be a witness.—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
jsonline.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Martin also admits to lying about the job offer while testifying in a July 2023 grand jury session.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skulking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulking. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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