lurched; lurching; lurches
1
: an abrupt jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car moved forward with a lurch
also
: stagger sense 2
2
: a sudden roll of a ship to one side
: a decisive defeat in which an opponent wins a game by more than double the defeated player's score especially in cribbage
see also:
lurched; lurching; lurches
Examples of lurch in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake
dressed in his zombie costume, the boy lurched down the street in his quest for Halloween candy
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Tepper Paley,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 July 2026
The same boom-and-bust dependency on the oil industry, whose profits were now funnelled through the regime and its allies, kept the country lurching from one crisis to the next.
—
Armando Ledezma,
New Yorker,
30 June 2026
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
26 June 2026
The pitch is a bank-beating yield without the daily lurch of the stock market.
—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurch
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Verb
Once, somewhere in southern Virginia, Dad performed the customary lurch off the highway in the direction of a promising barbecue counter.
—
Rachel Tepper Paley,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 July 2026
The same boom-and-bust dependency on the oil industry, whose profits were now funnelled through the regime and its allies, kept the country lurching from one crisis to the next.
—
Armando Ledezma,
New Yorker,
30 June 2026
Noun
Between 1200Boom’s patient lurch and slaq’s feverish run-on, both rappers’ cadences unfurl like rugs.
—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
26 June 2026
The pitch is a bank-beating yield without the daily lurch of the stock market.
—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurch
Cite this Entry
“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurch. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lurch
1 of 3 noun
: an overwhelming defeat in a game (as cribbage)
lurch
2 of 3 noun1
: a sudden roll of a ship to one side
2
: a sudden jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car gave a lurch
also
: a staggering gait
lurch
3 of 3 verb1
: to roll or tip suddenly
2
: to move with a lurch
suddenly lurched forward
also
: stagger entry 1 sense 1
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