Synonyms of worm

worm

verb

1

as in to encroach

to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits

neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife

Synonyms & Similar Words

• encroach
• creep
• snake
• inch
• invade
• sneak
• impinge
• intrude
• infringe
• entrench
• overrun
• overshoot
• overstep
• overreach
• overpass

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

• infiltrate
• insert
• sneak
• slip
• wind
• work in
• introduce
• wriggle
• wiggle
• creep
• insinuate
• edge
• interpolate
• interpose

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

• snake
• crawl
• creep
• slide
• slither
• wriggle
• belly
• grovel
• crouch
• squat
• tiptoe
• sneak
• steal
• inch
• edge
• nose
• skulk

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of worm

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

With the ability to worm its way through sensitive developer pipelines and machines, CanisterWorm represents a serious escalation of the TeamPCP’s campaign to steal as many credentials as possible. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 24 Mar. 2026

MomTok got Taylor on the plane and off to star in The Bachelorette, but not before Dakota worms his way in one last time. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026