skulking

present participle of skulk
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulking
Verb
  • Once Rubin’s data comes in, astronomers should gain a much sharper picture of whether the Kuiper Belt’s tilt points to additional planets lurking far beyond Neptune.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.
    Real-Time News team, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Johnson sat in the makeup chair for two hours undergoing a transformation process that resulted in the cauliflower ears, a specific browbone piece and other prosthetics, plus hiding his tattoos.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Keep scrolling to shop the best deals on plush bedding and area rugs hiding in Amazon’s home department.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • So here’s to sneaking it around the thought prison bars.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Instead of her being forced to leave it there (and Alex eventually stumbling across it), Sophi could have taken the box — thereby either denying Alex ever getting his idol, or perhaps even then later sneaking off and using the key to get the idol herself.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The truth is, anybody that tells you they 100% know what this offense will look like without Tyreek Hill is lying.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025
  • The defense opposed the request and accused the woman of lying about being a victim.
    Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Skulking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulking. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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