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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
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 The key to a good salsa is to hit all the flavor components, and this salsa does just that: Sweet and sharp citrus, laced with skulking chile heat, mingles with spring garlic. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for skulk 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulk
Verb
  • The only difference is that modern spies do not need to lurk around corners, listening through doors.
    Steve Durbin, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Beyond Stephens, there’s a good bit of quality lurking in Sabalenka’s neighborhood of the draw.
    Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • At the time, wolves were still considered predatory varmints to be shot from airplanes, trapped and snared for $100 bounty and whatever hides would bring.
    Al Wolter, Outdoor Life, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Walshe, 49, of Cohasset, is accused of murdering his wife Ana Walshe, dismembering her body on New Years 2023 and hiding it in dumpsters around Greater Boston.
    Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 9 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 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
  • The former Höss residence lies just feet away from the Auschwitz concentration camp.
    Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Danger: Venomous snakes bite millions of people each year.
    New York Times, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
  • Giving 11 venomous snakes a chance to escape inside your office sounds risky, but one of the nation’s top rattlesnake experts did just that to prove a point.
    Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulk. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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