slithering

Definition of slitheringnext
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 Jason Magee was walking a popular trail in Mission Viejo when a familiar sight caught the corner of his eye — a rattlesnake slithering in the nearby bushes, dangerously close to a skatepark, playground and a dog park. Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026 Still, being naturally snake-free doesn’t mean there isn’t a single snake slithering around Ireland. K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026 Virgie is pursued, in some of the play’s funniest moments, by a slithering cultist in shiny green gloves who purrs like a deadly kitty and moves like an Animaniac. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026 Student Christina Chang says that being mindful of the snakes slithering around keeps her grounded in the practice. Deena Prichep, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026 None were more notable than Biel’s 68th-minute goal off a slithering cross from Liel Abada, and then Biel’s stoppage-time goal to seal it. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2026 Even the opening credits, some written in slithering hair, seem to tremble out of either fear or ecstasy. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026 Like a shuddersome image of worms slithering from underneath a rock, a bunch of powerful and formerly respected people in America and beyond have been exposed by the Epstein files. Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026 The Grammy-winning artist later reclaimed the slithering serpent as one of the key visual elements of her follow-up album, Reputation. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slithering
Verb
  • The technology is sweeping almost every profession while also creeping into people’s personal lives, sometimes with devastating consequences.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Her works explored Oedipal urges and creeping fascism.
    Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Until Isaacman’s program makeover, Artemis III was crawling toward a moon landing no sooner than 2029.
    Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • One provider recommended a different formula, but Laura responded that her son was burning calories by kicking in his bed, crawling and wheeling around in his wheelchair.
    Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Travelers waiting hours stuck in lines snaking through baggage claim and outside the terminal building have been featured on television and splashed across the internet.
    Emma Hurt, AJC.com, 27 Mar. 2026
  • They have been seen directing snaking security lines and passing out water bottles to tired travelers.
    Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Attempts to resolve ecological responsibility through strict localism often risk sliding into cultural provincialism or nationalist enclosure—fantasies of purity that ignore how deeply entangled our lives already are.
    Manuela Moscoso, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slithering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slithering. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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