1
as in sneaking
to move about in a sly or secret manner
we caught a glimpse of someone lurking around the corner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hiding
to remain out of sight
watch out for snakes lurking in the tall grass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 lurking
The Audacity creator Jonathan Glatzer and star Billy Magnussen, who plays wealthy tech CEO Duncan Park, took the stage at Deadline Contenders TV to talk about taking the tech monster lurking in the shadows and those responsible for its existence, and turning it into a comedy.
—
Amanda Champagne-Meadows, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2026
With savings up to 86 percent on complete sets and lots of cooling options for warm nights, there are some major bedding deals lurking on the site.
—Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Chelsea could manipulate their press, either by finding Fernandez lurking on the left wing and Malo Gusto inverting into midfield on the right, or through Sanchez going long.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Some see danger lurking in the growing set of laws covering the issue.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026
Yet, lurking on social media, the appointment unleashed the all-too-familiar torrent of hate, sexism and misogyny.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
For the first time in decades, the captains abandon familiar fishing grounds to chase a rare breed of Red King Crab lurking in the frozen waters of the far North.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
If only paparazzi weren’t lurking around everywhere.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Officials could not previously prosecute Garcia Moran for assault and battery due to uncooperative witnesses who feared coming to court, citing the presence of immigration enforcement agents lurking around Virginia courthouses.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Amanda Champagne-Meadows, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2026
With savings up to 86 percent on complete sets and lots of cooling options for warm nights, there are some major bedding deals lurking on the site.
—Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Chelsea could manipulate their press, either by finding Fernandez lurking on the left wing and Malo Gusto inverting into midfield on the right, or through Sanchez going long.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Some see danger lurking in the growing set of laws covering the issue.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026
Yet, lurking on social media, the appointment unleashed the all-too-familiar torrent of hate, sexism and misogyny.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
For the first time in decades, the captains abandon familiar fishing grounds to chase a rare breed of Red King Crab lurking in the frozen waters of the far North.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
If only paparazzi weren’t lurking around everywhere.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Officials could not previously prosecute Garcia Moran for assault and battery due to uncooperative witnesses who feared coming to court, citing the presence of immigration enforcement agents lurking around Virginia courthouses.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurking
Verb
-
Shannda Aviugana-Durand, an education assistant known for sneaking kids candy on their birthdays, was killed at close range while students watched, the lawsuit alleged.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Suns still called this a positive first step — something to build on — but sneaking into the playoffs as an eighth seed does not always serve as a springboard.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hospital surveillance footage captured Talley pointing the gun at the room where the technician was hiding, Pekara said, before starting to make his way out of the building.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
After a search of the area, police located both suspects, who police said are teenagers, hiding nearby and took both into custody.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Now, Washington conventional wisdom, a 50-50 blend of dinner-party chatter and possibly sponsored social media posts, holds that the prize is slipping a bit from his grasp.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, borrowing costs remain elevated, and wage gains are slipping, struggling to keep up with everything else getting more expensive.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Photos from the wreckage show, among other pages from the emergency manual, instructions for a water landing lying loose at the crash site.—
James Glanz,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The outlets reported, citing police, that the son discovered his mother lying face down in a pool of blood from stab wounds and his father dead in another room.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, many institutions are grappling with ballooning operating costs and sliding enrollment, pressures that are intensifying labor conflicts over pay and resources.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In the meantime, sliding on a pair of fins and exploring under the water's surface is a worthwhile way to temporarily escape your daily stresses, get away from doom scrolling and connect with the beauty of nature.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurking. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
