worm

verb

Definition of wormnext
1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to infiltrate
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way over a period of several years, the undercover agent was able to worm his way into the drug kingpin's confidence

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to snake
to move slowly with the body close to the ground the cat silently wormed along the ground as it snuck up on the bird

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 worm The flea larvae, which look like tiny maggots, worm their way into the carpet or mattress, feeding on the flea dirt that their parents left behind, says Benson. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026 OpenAI’s ChatGPT has wormed its way into more and more parts of consumers’ lives, from work to their children’s education, and even mental health and romantic relationships. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 16 May 2026 The best success comes using it in jungle-thick cover, worming a minnow down between uncooperative branches. — John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026 In terms of the complex set design — which looks like a facsimile of the same passage over and over but with subtle differences worming their way in — Kawamura and his team built two identical corridors for cinematographer Keisuke Imamura to follow the actors through, third- and first-person-style. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worm
  1. encroach
  2. infiltrate
  3. snake
  4. insert
  5. crawl
  6. sneak
  7. creep
  8. slip
Verb
  • However, the brand’s initial dominance has gradually waned, according to insiders, as competing brands have encroached on Fenty Beauty’s market share.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wildfires encroached on major European cities, a once unthinkable threat.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • For a brand so rooted in sleek designs and drenched in an ever-present Bauhaus inspiration, seeing a botanical print infiltrating its language was unexpected.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Still, hackers can infiltrate companies by duping an employee into installing malware on their computer or exploiting unknown vulnerabilities in their software or network.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of infiltrate
Verb
  • By Wednesday afternoon, the line for visitor passes to get on base for the ship’s homecoming stretched several hundred feet, snaking across the lawn in front of the building and doubling back on itself.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Paths wind through a pebbled courtyard and stunning garden, first leading you past the hotel’s cafe, then snaking its way to the main building’s lobby.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of snake
Verb
  • Uncover and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is puffed and appears dry, and a toothpick inserted into the brownie portion near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI personnel discovered the audio recording device inserted into a USB port of a television in an executive conference room in an OpenAI building in San Francisco, the Justice Department said in a news release.
    — Joe Kottke, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of insert
Verb
  • Researchers have developed a paper-thin foot membrane that lets crawling microrobots harvest electricity directly from the ground beneath them, ditching heavy onboard batteries by turning metal and silicon surfaces into an active power source.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In real-world tests, the hand crawled across 14 different surfaces including smooth floors, metal grates, grass, and gravel.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of crawl
Verb
  • It was announced on Saturday that Judkins and QB Deshaun Watson had been fined a cool $14,397, while guard Austin Barber, who also snuck a hit off of the invisible blunt, had to pony up $6,944.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Miami rebounded by winning its final four games to sneak into the 12-team playoff field before making a run all the way to the CFP National Championship Game.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Europe has crept back on the scene in a real negative way, this time with France on the hot seat.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The aberrant digit only crept in because Ford owned the rights to Model E and wasn’t interested in selling.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of creep
Verb
  • But a few months later, at her 18-month appointment, the standard graph that plotted a child’s weight against their age showed her weight slipping off the curve.
    — Raj Panjabi, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The United States is currently managing to get significant amounts of crude oil (if not refined product) through the strait, but only by providing costly military protection to tankers that slip past Iran’s guns with their transponders off.
    — Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of slip

Browse Nearby Words

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worm
wormed
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Cite this Entry

“Worm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worm. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about worm

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