skulking

verb

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

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 skulking Mars spends most of the month in Cancer, skulking defensively through your 12th house. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 In the aforementioned Sylvia, Gwyneth Paltrow stares moodily into the void or shrieks at Daniel Craig’s skulking Hughes for coming home late. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 Post-Order 66 Jedi are often just lesser versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda, skulking around in swamps and deserts, but this duo can't seem to stay away from the action. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2026 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 The film’s John Slattery, who has fallen on hard times after the halcyon days of Mad Men and is skulking in the Valley, is enlisted to help with the endeavor. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026 This leaves Stephen skulking away to plot his revenge some other way. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 20 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulking
  1. lurking
  2. hiding
  3. sneaking
  4. lying
Verb
  • Every facet of India’s topography, from lush grasslands filled with antelopes to gnarled forests with tigers and evil spirits lurking around every corner, is on full display.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The Beast, or some Beast-like relative, also has been seen in Milwaukee, outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Lake Geneva and, across the state line, in Antioch, Galena and lurking near the Great Lakes Naval Station in Lake County.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of lurking
Verb
  • Rice takes curious young readers on a tour of the natural world that’s hiding in plain sight, focusing on the ways that plants and animals communicate and connect.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • February 19 – March 20 An annoying little problem could be hiding a surprisingly easy fix.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Bus noise was a similar story, with the low engine rumble handled well and only some of the higher-frequency intermittent sounds sneaking through.
    — Christian de Looper, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • For a solid thirty minutes, the candidates defended their honor as the race’s most pro-Israel candidate — at times sneaking in jabs about their opponent.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneaking
Verb
  • Mary is lying on the cloth and turning to cradle Jesus, who is lying next to her.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The race grabbed headlines in recent weeks when Ramaswamy's campaign released an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother, who accused her daughter of lying about her childhood.
    — Ian McKinney, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of lying

Browse Nearby Words

skulkers
skulking
skulks
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Cite this Entry

“Skulking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulking. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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