1
2
as in to infiltrate
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 worm
Clara ends up moving to the small town and worming her way into everyone’s hearts.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
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
Popping in and out of the party's campaign headquarters with abandon (Secret Service didn't begin to protect the president until 1901), Guiteau tries to worm his way into Garfield's circle and somehow profit.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Any deal would need to worm its way through the competition regulator.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worm
Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
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
Popping in and out of the party's campaign headquarters with abandon (Secret Service didn't begin to protect the president until 1901), Guiteau tries to worm his way into Garfield's circle and somehow profit.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Any deal would need to worm its way through the competition regulator.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worm
Verb
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Space can also prove an issue, because some school administrators see even tiny gardens in 5-gallon buckets as encroaching on their schools’ playgrounds.—
Shelley Mitchell,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
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Songs here that start off surprisingly bracing resolve into big, sleek choruses, the work of firm believers in the power of heroic, high-protein mainstream alt-rock as a salve against encroaching darkness.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At Saturday night’s dinner, people infiltrated the hotel to protest the Iran war and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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In 2013, according to the Department of Justice, a hacker affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps infiltrated the control system of a dam in New York State.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Attendees began lining up outside the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena hours before the event and as the start time ticked closer, the line snaked far down the sidewalk and began wrapping around the dome where the University of Idaho football team plays.—
Saige Miller,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
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Then in 2022, Rich Strike got into the field only because another horse withdrew the day before and snaked through the home stretch to win at odds longer than 80-1.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That required segmenting the coil and inserting electronics within it to keep it from radiating its energy away like an antenna.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2026
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The calls for Rioux came whenever the Gators held big leads late in a game, with students and fans hoping coach Todd Golden would insert him into the game.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, during one segment of the performance, a snake reportedly bit the German tourist after crawling into his clothing.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Wages for hourly employees have crawled, while the paychecks of investors and executives have soared.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Scott Roche’s unlikely road to semi-pro football began with prodding from his players, followed by sneaking into a high school stadium to practice.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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While others sneak photos of Newsom, a cluster of New York Times reporters just feet away are opting to forgo watching the governor hold court —and are instead watching the Lakers do so.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Win it, and suddenly the series tightens, the doubt creeps in and the path gets a lot more complicated for Orlando.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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For another easy-to-care-for choice that relishes sunlight, look to creeping juniper and its beautifully hazy blue-green leaves.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Disney shares slipped around 1% on the news in Tuesday trading.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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While the seven-round draft feels exhaustive each year, the truth is good prospects, even Hall of Fame caliber ones, can slip through.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worm. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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