1
as in swaying
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 staggering
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
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 lurching
The old guard of the Democratic Party suffered another body blow when three socialist congressional candidates in New York with anti-Israel platforms swept to victory, lurching the party even further to the left.
—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
25 June 2026
Taking the ride with Lazy Horse means embracing that chaos, lurching from song to song.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2026
When Colombia heads to the polls June 21, the region will be watching to see if the nation joins the right-wing surge across Latin America, with Chile, Honduras, and Costa Rica lurching to the political right over the past year.
—
Manuel Rueda,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 June 2026
As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 June 2026
These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.
—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.
—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Another neighbor recalled an elevator lurching between floors.
—
Elle McLogan,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.
—
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
25 June 2026
Taking the ride with Lazy Horse means embracing that chaos, lurching from song to song.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2026
When Colombia heads to the polls June 21, the region will be watching to see if the nation joins the right-wing surge across Latin America, with Chile, Honduras, and Costa Rica lurching to the political right over the past year.
—
Manuel Rueda,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 June 2026
As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 June 2026
These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.
—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.
—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Another neighbor recalled an elevator lurching between floors.
—
Elle McLogan,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.
—
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurching
Verb
-
The movie is an apex of film noir, filled with dark shadows, moody lighting and ominous swaying palm trees.
-
In her two-story home, lamps and other objects began swaying violently.
Verb
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.
Verb
-
The country’s massive celebrations have made international headlines, with videos of exuberant fans rocking cars and even buses going viral.
-
Just remember the most important part when rocking a bowl cut is the attitude.
Verb
-
Enola dutifully trudges between clues and possibilities, shuffling through crime scenes and racing around shady spaces, all of this much more paint-by-numbers than connect-the-dots.
-
Colombia is trying its luck from distance, but Costa has been equal to each shot, first punching away Jefferson Lerma's rocket from the right, about 25 yards out, and then shuffling his feet to his left and catching Jhon Arias's shot from about the same distance.
Verb
-
This tournament has built credibility by showcasing teams competing at a high level, then shaking hands afterward.
-
An earth-shaking roar The World Cup finally arrived in Kansas City after several years of preparation and anticipation.
Verb
-
Alongside Chase and her family stands film director Guy Ritchie; not as a badge‑on celebrity, but as a creative collaborator who has invested both capital and time in the project, designing the Wild Kitchen feasting tables and quietly weaving the whisky into his storytelling world.
-
But over the nearly one-and-a-half years since the 2025 mega-fires, native and invasive grasses, bushes and trees have begun to regrow, weaving flammable greenery across the landscape.
Cite this Entry
“Lurching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurching. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
