skulk 1 of 2

1
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner I thought I saw someone skulking about in the shadows

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2
as in to hide
to remain out of sight the animal control officers caught the stray cat that had been skulking behind some trash cans

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

skulk

2 of 2

noun

as in weasel
someone who acts in a sly and secret manner were surprised to discover the skulk stealing from the garden was a raccoon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word skulk distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of skulk are lurk, slink, and sneak. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

When is it sensible to use lurk instead of skulk?

While in some cases nearly identical to skulk, lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

Where would slink be a reasonable alternative to skulk?

The synonyms slink and skulk are sometimes interchangeable, but slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

In what contexts can sneak take the place of skulk?

The words sneak and skulk can be used in similar contexts, but sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

Examples 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 skulk
Verb
Her initial attempts to divest herself of Sunny entwine with her desire to learn just who her husband was; there will be skulking and unpleasant if incomplete discoveries. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2024 Except that those kids didn’t skulk around on AlphaBay. Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2024 Nevertheless, Laura’s main occupation is sulking and skulking in shadows, being mad, and throwing vegetables. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2024 As a bored kid in Leningrad in the 1960s and 1970s, Putin skulked at the back of classrooms but was energized in his free time by his pursuit of judo. Fiona Hill, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2013 See all Example Sentences for skulk 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulk
Verb
  • As this seduction of sorts happens, Hannah lurks in the background worried her child will end up disappointed, while also growing increasingly worried about Jim’s ever-encroaching mortality.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
  • If a former hitmaker hasn’t connected recently, their Brat Summer might be lurking around the corner.
    Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Asked about his identity and to provide authorization, Deng tried to hide his equipment and flee, prompting the officials to take him and his companions into custody.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
  • When Hamas chose to go to ground inside Gaza and hide among its people, Israel followed it down, leveling the territory and its population to get at its enemy.
    Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Since graduation, Chen has racked up assignments in Mozart, Beethoven, Donizetti, Verdi, Wagner, and Puccini with opera companies and symphony orchestras across the United States and in Europe, often as the motormouth buffoons and weasels of classic comedies.
    airmail.news, airmail.news, 7 Dec. 2024
  • When a weasel sucks eggs, the meat is sucked out of the egg.
    Harry Siegel, New York Daily News, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Sometimes, he's gotten invited to inaugural balls; other times, he's been able to sneak in.
    Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025
  • And with a personal training certification and a degree in kinesiology, a wellness focus often sneaks into many aspects of my personal and professional life.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The real engine of the economy now lies in an ever-widening trade surplus, which reached almost $1 trillion last year.
    Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The challenge lies in determining these principles, as the definition of 'good' ultimately reflects the values and biases of the teams who initially trained these language models.
    Charles Towers-Clark, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • For instance, if a skunk or raccoon has invaded a home, Whitmore thoroughly inspects it to understand where and how the animal enters.
    Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Any time an agricultural producer or horse owner or home gardener has a persistent issue with dangerous or destructive animals — skunks denning under a shed, raccoons raiding a chicken coop, bears gorging in a vineyard — Chandler can assist, either with advice or, if necessary, direct intervention.
    Malcolm Brooks Malcolm Hillgartner Krish Seenivasan Zak Mouton, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • While these snakes may not make great pets, a lot of non-venomous snakes do.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The analysis showed that some of the snakes from Ethiopia were genetically distinct.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulk. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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