worms

Definition of wormsnext
present tense third-person singular of worm
1
as in encroaches
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife

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2
as in infiltrates
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

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3
as in snakes
to move slowly with the body close to the ground the cat silently wormed along the ground as it snuck up on the bird

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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 worms 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 Guiteau eventually worms his way into an audience, ostensibly seeking an ambassadorship for his dubious contributions to the campaign but, in reality, requesting a path to greatness. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025 Go east from Tashkent for a dose of verticality in the Fergana Valley, which worms its way between neighboring Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. — Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worms
Verb
  • The necessary debates are only beginning to heat up as AI inexorably encroaches on our daily lives.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The case also determined that the neighbor has the right to trim any greenery that encroaches onto their property.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • The show, which stars Jessica Chastain as an investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to prevent incidents of mad violence.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This coexistence of the everyday and the extraordinary suggested to me a cinematic way of approaching death – not as a spectacular intrusion, but as a presence that slowly infiltrates daily life.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The new district snakes up through Kansas City’s urban core, in an attempt to create a district more favorable for Republicans in the 5th District.
    — Jack Harvel July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
  • The story of McCarthy’s life was written on this winding street that snakes through a small, working-class corner of Pittsburgh where the Monongahela River bends.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • Every round, the players put on googly-eyed glasses that obscure their vision while Sam sneaks over to tap a Spy, who removes their glasses so Sam can point out which object fits the prompt.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Manual friction sneaks in as systems fail to scale with growth or suffer from poor implementation.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There’s also a less than 10% chance of showers, if one of the hurricanes crawls farther up the coast, according to Wofford.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • What should be a relaxing weekend quickly veers off course as Chuck inserts himself into the group and tests the limits of their patience.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Relic chip, of course, is the impetus for the main storyline of Cyberpunk 2077, where V inserts the experimental tech that contains the soul, in effect, of a real person.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • There’s often a moment leading up to a loss when the doubt creeps in, the confidence gets rattled and the composure gets compromised.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • However, if light still creeps in under the door or the edges of windows, try light blocking foam or strips, which may be sold as draft stoppers or weatherproofing materials.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Merchants sign up, fraud slips through anyway, and the vendor walks away clean.
    — Wayne Hamilton, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Taylor’s success on its own isn’t enough to redeem this season for the Sky, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2023 and whose relevance slips further with each loss and each draft pick that fails to hit.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Worms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worms. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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