1
as in to sway
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
dressed in his zombie costume, the boy lurched down the street in his quest for Halloween candy
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in washout
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 lurch
Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The leftward lurch could cost Republicans control of Congress for the president’s final two years in office.
—Steve Peoples, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
The hope is that the institutional reforms started by the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus deliver the necessary checks and balances to avert another lurch toward despotism.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Verb
Don’t gag, don’t cry — and my stomach lurched.
—Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The leftward lurch could cost Republicans control of Congress for the president’s final two years in office.
—Steve Peoples, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
Newsom, who has appeared on Real Time, could benefit from a lurch toward the middle, Maher told The California Post.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
The hope is that the institutional reforms started by the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus deliver the necessary checks and balances to avert another lurch toward despotism.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurch
Verb
-
The reality, even now, is that the director of the CIA may be subordinate to the DNI on the organizational charts, but the CIA boss has a lot more power, more information, and, sometimes, more sway with presidents, than the DNI does.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Here’s a breakdown of the three themes that swayed Wall Street over the past five sessions.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Together the strangers slung Haridasse's arms over their shoulders and staggered to the finish line as a trio.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, addressed concerns about giving one party too much power by staggering the new authorizations out over a 0-year period.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the weekend isn't looking like a washout, a few rounds of showers are likely across the state.—
Steven Sosna,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
On the other hand, cool‑season sod farmers usually grow Kentucky bluegrass, which germinates slowly compared to other turfgrass species, increasing the risk of washouts.—
Ryan Bearss,
The Conversation,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The situation is also an opportunity for NASA to resume the kind of risk-taking that has been lacking to shake the agency out of a post-space-shuttle lethargy and to reignite passions for reaching a stretch goal under deadline pressure.—
Thomas Black,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The front car of the train appeared to jump the track, leaving passengers shaken.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But Friday was the collapse that may define their season.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Oil revenue is the linchpin of Russia’s economy, allowing Putin to pour money into the armed forces without worsening inflation for everyday people and avoiding a currency collapse.—
Karel Janicek,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Zack Bolduc and Cole Caufield, on the power play, had spotted Montreal a 2-0 lead as the Bell Centre absolutely rocked again in the anticipation and hope that perhaps their team might take a 3-1 lead over the favoured Lightning.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The explosion was part of a wave of attacks in recent days which have rocked Cauca and fueled security concerns ahead of presidential elections next month.—
Alfie Pannell,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An upset could be a significant salvo in the battle for the soul of the country.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Barring a massive upset in the bracket, this series between the two best teams in the county should conclude on that night at Mission Hills.—
Tim Meehan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The chicken and beer fiasco in 2011.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Contained within all these fiascoes is a subtly different conservative movement.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurch. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
