lurk

verb

ˈlərk How to pronounce lurk (audio)
Definition of lurknext
1
as in to sneak
to move about in a sly or secret manner we caught a glimpse of someone lurking around the corner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to hide
to remain out of sight watch out for snakes lurking in the tall grass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lurk distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of lurk are skulk, slink, and sneak. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

When might skulk be a better fit than lurk?

Although the words skulk and lurk have much in common, skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

When is slink a more appropriate choice than lurk?

The words slink and lurk can be used in similar contexts, but slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

Where would sneak be a reasonable alternative to lurk?

While the synonyms sneak and lurk are close in meaning, sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

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 lurk Unbearable tragedy lurks in these pages: rape, addiction, dissociation, generational memory of the pogroms and of the Holocaust, all chopped to pieces and stuffed between winningly insane layers of syntactical bizzaria and presentational devices galore. — Alexandra Tanner, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025 With cars and predators like coyotes lurking, free-roaming cats risk getting run over or caught in altercations that can prove fatal. — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, Villanova lurked, watching other candidates linked to its opening take other jobs. — Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025 Redondo Beach — The Trump administration’s targeting of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will jeopardize efforts to save sea lions, dolphins, sea birds and other wildlife stricken by poisons lurking offshore, say marine scientists, public health officials and animal rescuers. — Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lurk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurk
  1. sneak
  2. hide
  3. slip
  4. lie
Verb
  • How did Passover and Easter sneak up on us so fast?
    — Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
  • But a better travel pillow does all that and sneaks an extra day’s worth of clothing onto the plane without catching a gate agent’s attention.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Read Next World Palace gardens hid 900-year-old ruins of bathhouse in Spain — until now.
    — Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The titles of 12 such books — some of which may have been published before 2025 — are hidden below within an unrelated text passage.
    — J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of hide
Verb
  • The JLab Go Air Sport earbuds pound with bass and never slip mid-workout.
    — Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Parham, a former Methodist married to a woman from a Quaker family, had come to Kansas from Iowa, after touring holiness camps and talking with global missionaries, some of whom told him about seeing recent converts slip into trances and speak in tongues.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of slip
Verb
  • The biggest game-changer for apparel and textiles lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), automation and supply chain visibility.
    — Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
  • For Manal, the real power of the album lies in speaking up about topics considered taboo in society.
    — Nour Ezzedine, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of lie

Browse Nearby Words

luring
lurk
lurked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lurk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurk. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of lurk for Spanish Speakers

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