skulks 1 of 2

noun

plural of skulk
as in sneaks
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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skulks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of skulk
1
as in lurks
to move about in a sly or secret manner I thought I saw someone skulking about in the shadows

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in hides
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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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 skulks
Noun
Frank discovers Lee’s meddling and skulks into Arthur’s apartment and murders him. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025 Despite a restraining order against her, Lisa skulks around the twins’ school at drop-off and stalks them in the grocery store. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
With Irene threatening Billie, Joe skulks back to his cement cell, but hears Irene torturing Billie in the next room. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulks
  1. sneaks
  2. lurks
  3. hides
  4. skunks
  5. lies
  6. sneakers
  7. lurkers
  8. snakes
Noun
  • Available in several pastel hues and patterns, these high-vamp canvas sneaks look ultracomfy and flattering.
    — Cheryl Wagemann, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Sinatra and Dean Martin croon softly on the speakers (until the occasional Charli xcx track sneaks in).
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of sneaks
Verb
  • The Spurs superstar lurks down low near the basket, allowing guards to pressure aggressively on the perimeter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Clements sets the scene with lively pop music and excellent period-specific costuming, though darkness lurks beneath the funky 1970s groove.
    — Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurks
Verb
  • What isn’t vintage is mostly custom designed by Levin—a wall-to-wall couch with conversation pit vibes, a wooden bed with an attached bench, a thoughtful floating console that hides a TV.
    — Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026
  • On the day of the scavenger hunt, the team hides its creations around town, while ravenous worm-hunters eagerly await their first hint of where a ceramic worm decorated to look like a pickle, or a crayon, or a rainbow dinosaur, can be found.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of hides
Noun
  • Officials say the last animal confirmed to have rabies that wasn’t a bat was a skunk infected with the bat strain of rabies in Long Beach in 2014.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And coyotes regulate populations of mesocarnivores like skunks and raccoons, helping support the survival of ground-nesting birds.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of skunks
Verb
  • This tiny place lies 155 miles north of the Arctic Circle, beside Torneträsk, a 43-mile-long lake.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • More than a splash of color Perhaps the more interesting possibility lies beyond multi-color printing altogether.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of lies
Noun
  • In March 2025, an exchange between Affleck and Samuel made headlines after Samuel was filmed admiring a $6,000 pair of Dior x Nike Air Jordan 1 sneakers in a video shared on Instagram.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The wording seemed to suggest that the sneakers, after years of various teasers, would finally arrive at retail.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneakers
Noun
  • There are leaders, lurkers, peacekeepers, instigators, and the person who only surfaces to drop an occasional thumbs-up.
    — Sam Reed, Glamour, 18 May 2026
  • The Cubs and Padres are well clear of any lurkers for the top two spots, but the Mets have the last ticket in for now, with San Francisco, Arizona and Cincinnati all within 2 1/2 games of them.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of lurkers
Noun
  • Three of those species are venomous, including the northern copperhead, which Ballard said are among the hardest venomous snakes to find in Southern Illinois.
    — Noel Brennan, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Over a 13-month period that included the COVID-19 shutdown, the study identified 232 animal carcasses along the route, including bighorn sheep, mountain lions, squirrels and snakes.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of snakes

Browse Nearby Words

skulking
skulks
skull
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Cite this Entry

“Skulks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulks. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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