lurked; lurking; lurks

intransitive verb

1
a
: to lie in wait in a place of concealment especially for an evil purpose
someone out there lurking in the shadows
b
: to move furtively or inconspicuously
shall I lurk about this country like a thief?Henry Fielding
c
: to persist in staying
the excitement of the first act still lurking in the airRichard Fletcher
Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous.J. K. Rowling
2
a
: to be concealed but capable of being discovered
specifically : to constitute a latent threat
What evil lurks in the hearts of men?
b
: to lie hidden
Malaria lurked in the marshes.
3
: to read messages without contributing on an Internet discussion forum (see forum sense 1c) (such as a newsgroup or chat room) or social media platform (such as Facebook or Twitter)
You can tweet as much as you want or lurk without comment, though consistent tweeting and audience engagement are key to attracting and keeping followers.Charlotte Abbott
Choose the Right Synonym for lurk

lurk, skulk, slink, sneak 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

skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

Examples of lurk in a Sentence

She could tell there was someone out there lurking in the shadows. we caught a glimpse of someone lurking around the corner
Recent Examples on the Web Giant Isopods, a type of crustacean that lurks in the deep sea. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024 But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024 But there is a deeper sense of alienation lurking beneath the one-liners and thirst traps; at one point in our chat, Dabice wells up with tears while relaying the specific kind of seclusion touring musicians endure. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2024 Parents tout their kid's online cookie store, sharing links on Facebook, in emails, at work — wherever a possible sale is lurking. Bill Chappell, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 Meetings are marked by occasional gallows humor about what catastrophe lurks around the corner. Peter Baker, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Through the buoyancy of 2023, perhaps best epitomized by the 24% rally in the S&P 500, the specter of high rates lurked, always threatening to throw cold water on the party. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024 But lurking over all of them is a demographic reality: The falling US birth rate will produce fewer workers in the years ahead to replace the number of workers retiring. Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 How each House member voted on the spending bill But a larger and trickier shutdown deadline lurks just over two weeks from now, on March 22, and lawmakers remain fiercely divided over how to fund those agencies and which policies to attach to that legislation. Marianna Sotomayor, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lurk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English; akin to Middle High German lūren to lie in wait — more at lower

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lurk was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lurk

Cite this Entry

“Lurk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurk. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lurk

verb
1
a
: to stay in or about a place secretly
b
: to move quietly and secretly
2
: to lie concealed
especially : to be a hidden threat
lurker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lurk

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