slithering

present participle of slither
as in creeping
to move slowly with the body close to the ground a snake slithering through the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 slithering There was unexpected wildlife – a screeching macaque and a viper slithering across a path. — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 This is believed to be the first slithering creature seen at a football practice since Drew Rosenhaus. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 Here are seven solutions to keep these animals slithering past your yard. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 6 July 2026 There are anywhere between 100,000 and 300,000 invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) currently slithering through the Florida Everglades. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026 North Carolina is crawling, or perhaps slithering, with copperheads. — Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026 On land, movements range from crawling and slithering (worms, mollusks, arthropods, snakes) to walking and running. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026 His wife, Cheryl Hines, is heard off camera asking him to be careful with the slithering reptiles. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 26 May 2026 But his idealized vision of a past paradise of social cohesion that late-stage capitalism destroyed doesn’t reckon with the snakes that were always there in this imaginary Eden, including a personal betrayal that’s close to home and only comes slithering out in a moment of drunken weakness. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slithering
Verb
  • The sultry allure of R&B vocal stylings is steadily creeping back into the forefront of mainstream music — and that includes some of the buzziest genres around the world.
    — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The vote is taking place amid a backdrop of creeping social tensions in Russia, as the Kremlin continues to propagate a war in Ukraine – now in its fifth year.
    — Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Shopping is also often easier to do manually, largely because of restrictions that prevent bots from crawling websites.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
  • While Macbeth is constantly crawling out of his skin, Kelsey sings the role with a relaxed confidence that is a pleasure to listen to, if dramatically disorienting.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This city is already a freaky liminal space full of snaking pathways that are almost incomprehensible.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • And the talk drew far and away the longest lines of the festival, snaking around four city blocks an hour before showtime.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps this is why beloved ‘90s nostalgia brands like McQueen and Calvin Klein (both with sliding revenues) aren’t resonating as well.
    — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Giants safety Jevon Holland made a sliding grab near the Cowboys sideline.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slithering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slithering. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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