Synonyms of skulking

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

• lurking
• sneaking
• slipping
• slinking
• sliding
• crawling
• stealing
• snaking
• creeping
• tiptoeing
• shirking
• mousing
• pussyfooting
• mooching
• inching
• edging
• padding
• worming
• ghosting

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

• lurking
• hiding
• lying
• slinking
• reposing
• sneaking
• lying low
• holing up
• evading
• sitting tight
• eluding
• avoiding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• appearing
• coming out
• showing up
• turning up
• materializing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of skulking

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

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