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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worms
Verb
  • As long as nothing encroaches on their territories, these mega-caps can continue to invent and profit with their core businesses generating consistent gains.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 28 June 2026
  • This revival finds new power in the intimate story of a family learning to love again set against one of the most consequential moments of the twentieth century, as the Nazi regime rises to power and authoritarianism encroaches on daily life.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Yet up here hardly a sound infiltrates the noble trees that surround the estate.
    Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The eight-part Spanish-language drama, inspired by real events, is set in 1980s Lima, Peru, and follows the rise of an elite law school cabal that infiltrates academia, politics, and organized crime.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • The New River, which snakes through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, may be one of the oldest river systems on earth.
    Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • Morning mist coated the nearby Rhone River that snakes through the Alpine valley as worshippers flocked in.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • And that’s where the Leonard situation sneaks into the equation.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 July 2026
  • Moana sneaks away and sets sail, with the ocean guiding her at every step.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • Footage of the moment shows Menitoff acting as if nothing is happening as the bug crawls on her.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
  • Seltz’s system crawls hundreds of millions of pages a day, and returns results in under 200 milliseconds.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Luz inserts the construction pole; Susana sniffs.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • Once seated at the computer, the hacker inserts a USB drive or external hard drive.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Complexity slowly creeps in, via the boardroom, presentations, decisions, relationships and finally, the ability to serve the consumer and the very reason why the company exists in the first place.
    Sonal Jain, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • As our conversation extends into the hour mark, her hood creeps upward along the side of her face most visible to those around us.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Later this evening, however, the moon slips into the meticulous and methodical sign of Virgo, which, in turn, grounds the atmosphere.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
  • By night, people drift toward the beach, dinner tables fill, and music slips through the air.
    Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Worms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worms. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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