1
as in encroaching
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in sneaking
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 creeping
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
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Recent Examples of worming
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
Clara ends up moving to the small town and worming her way into everyone’s hearts.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
Traitors is worming its way in there.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Clara ends up moving to the small town and worming her way into everyone’s hearts.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
Traitors is worming its way in there.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worming
Verb
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The unusual crash underscores a growing problem across North Texas, where invasive wild pigs — now found in nearly every county — are increasingly encroaching on neighborhoods and roadways, causing damage, safety concerns and costly disruptions.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Since September, Rwanda’s government has been mapping agricultural land and using satellite imagery to track any development encroaching on farmlands and forests in a country where the population is expected to reach 22 million in a couple of years.—
Evelyne Musambi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Iron Maiden, finally sneaking Eddie past the Hall’s metal block.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
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Similar to Chen, Bill Gates learned to code at about age 13, sneaking into his school’s computer lab at night to practice.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trailing plants like Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) and common periwinkle (Vinca minor) spill over the edges of the pot, while creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) cover the surface with dense mats.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
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Clean your garden tools after working with creeping Charlie to prevent spread, Funk adds.—
Lauren David,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the opening sequence was a rip-roaring cold open in which Mando and Grogu are infiltrating a base to take down an empire loyalist.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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Though fur is very good at creating a warm, protective layer against wind, water is very good at infiltrating small spaces.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Adobe could be crawling its way out of the software stock abyss, after a buyback and an endorsement from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revived confidence in the digital media provider.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
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Sick of crawling through rush-hour traffic along Interstate 84 in Meridian?—
Rose Evans
April 20,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cora made lineup changes Monday, moving Trevor Story down to the five-hole and inserting Masataka Yoshida into the two-hole.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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But humans have a long habit of inserting their own feelings into the story of the dinosaurs.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This climbing plant is long and slender, snaking up trellises and winding around pergolas.—
Claudia Guthrie,
The Spruce,
9 Apr. 2026
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And in January, Tokyo Central landed in Emeryville from Japan, with a two-hour line snaking around the block.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Before slipping into silence in the mid-’90s, Souled American had morphed from rootsy alt-country band to adding ambient shades and slowcore to their music.—
David Harris,
SPIN,
21 Apr. 2026
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Where to Stay In Militello, staying overnight is about slipping into the fabric of the town.—
Erica Firpo,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worming. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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