1
as in encroaches
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of worms
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
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worms
Verb
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As the Chinese men shoot the breeze and play cards, a mob of armed white miners gathers over the hill and encroaches on the unsuspecting outsiders.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Cloud Dancer, a white that is both warm and cool, reflects an overwhelmed feeling among consumers as the world feels louder and technology, in particular AI, encroaches further into our lives.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Use your hands to agitate the cushion covers so the soapy water infiltrates the fabric.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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Created by Eden, Moshe Zonder and Maor Kohn, written by Tony Saint and Simon Allen, and directed by Daniel Syrkin, the series stars Niv Sultan as a Mossad hacker-agent who infiltrates Tehran under a false identity, Shaun Toub, and Shila Ommi.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In southwest Russia, where the border with eastern Ukraine snakes down to the Sea of Azov, lies the city of Rostov-on-Don, which serves as the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District.—
Sophie Spiegelberger,
New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2026
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From the mouth of Lake of the Woods, the Warroad River snakes through the middle of the city limits, a few blocks from the headquarters of Marvin Windows and Doors, the employer as synonymous with the town as the sport of hockey.—
Dave Campbell,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But some sunlight still sneaks through Earth’s atmosphere, bends around the planet and lands on the moon.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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Benedict is still all in with love, convincingly enough that Sophie sneaks back to her room, glowing and grinning, with the drawing of Our Cottage clutched in her hands.—
Christina Grace Tucker,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the Bay Area slowly — some might say glacially — crawls into spring, there’s nothing better than sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee to warm yourself up.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
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As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Catherine’s ignored handmaid, Nelly (Hong Chau), inserts herself into everyone’s drama out of pique.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Perhaps most perceptively captivating is the sweetly cunning way Marczak inserts himself into the film.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
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The curved shadow of the Earth that creeps across the moon during lunar eclipses is key to humankind’s understanding of our planet.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That is when boards start re-rating risks, lenders start sharpening pencils and capex slips down the priority list.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Hynes’ music slips between R&B, indie rock and orchestral pop, often within the same song — something built on feeling rather than definition.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worms. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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