1
as in encroached
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in infiltrated
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 wormed
We as a community contain (often brain-wormed) multitudes, as evidenced by this year’s plethora gay Halloween costumes.
—
Abby Monteil, Them., 31 Oct. 2025
After a scramble from Baltimore’s corner kick, Kerr’s header at the back post wormed through a thicket of defenders, and Cuthbert had the final touch.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
This story has wormed its way into all levels of British cultural output.
—Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Abby Monteil, Them., 31 Oct. 2025
After a scramble from Baltimore’s corner kick, Kerr’s header at the back post wormed through a thicket of defenders, and Cuthbert had the final touch.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
This story has wormed its way into all levels of British cultural output.
—Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wormed
Verb
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In an era when IP is king at the theatrical box office, particularly when it’s encroached upon by streaming, what’s the trick to figuring out if an original project can play to a mass audience or a Gen Z one?—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
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Palace intrigue encroached on his confidence at times.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Intolerance had infiltrated the sport, and football decided to fight back.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
While contrast therapy has long been popular in Scandinavia, it’s only recently infiltrated mainstream US culture, especially in big cities like New York and Los Angeles.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Diabate put his head down to butt up against Duren’s forehead after the two slowly crept toward each other and Duren took his right hand and swiped at Diabate.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Nerves about possibly missing the NCAA Tournament have crept back in among fans in College Station.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rios’ attorneys contend that the case had gone cold when Guevara, who at the time was a gang crimes specialist, not a homicide detective, inserted himself into the investigation by claiming two confidential informants had fingered Rios as the gunman.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
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Rivers inserted 6-foot-10 center Jericho Sims into the starting lineup, creating a double-big pairing alongside 6-foot-11 center Myles Turner.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One live roach crawled on the floor in front of a storage rack with seasoning and cans.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Maybe the girl had crawled under a neighbor's trailer while playing hide-and-seek.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mission slipped into 2025 because ULA needed more Vulcan rocket hardware beyond Cert-2 and the two USSF missions that took priority over the Dream Chaser flight.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
French wine and spirits exports have slipped from being traditionally France’s second-largest export sector to third, behind aerospace and cosmetics, as trade tensions intensified.—
Reuters 9 hr ago,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During peak meal hours, food lines snaked endlessly.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
By noontime, the line snaked away from the entrance for several blocks.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Levy sneaked back to the kitchen to help clean up.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Bhansali has to scan all of his diamonds — millions per year — to make sure no lab-growns have been snuck in the mix.—
Chris Livesay,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wormed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wormed. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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