LURCHES Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

lurches 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lurch

as in sways

to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in staggers

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

lurches

2 of 2

noun

plural of lurch

as in collapses

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 lurches

Verb

The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026 By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026 Republicans’ hopes of holding on to their slim majorities in the House and Senate may well hinge on the cost at the pump as the war against Iran lurches into its second week. — Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Mar. 2026 But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic. — Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026 After a moment of hesitation, Harington lurches forward and plants a passionate kiss on Turner, who responds in kind. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026 When, at my photographer’s request, the president approaches the window of his office to open the blinds, his bodyguard lurches forward to close them. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026 Sometimes an unexpected event lurches family members into becoming caregivers. — Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026 Three seconds later, the Honda crashes into a parked car with such force its tires fly off the street, the pile of cars lurches forward several feet and snow billows. — Claire Galofaro, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurches

Verb

One combat sequence at the end is genuinely excellent because the film puts actual creative effort into staging a knife-versus-ax duel on a gangplank that sways back and forth over the water.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
The main road home is closed, so players must detour through a wild valley full of hills, rivers and angry wildlife, while the janky physics turn every bump into potential disaster as the RV sways, tips and flips with ease.

— Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026

Definition of sways

Verb

Steely and deliberate songwriting that casually staggers down the line between rhythm and melody, laced with loose yet conscious jams.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2026
Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.

— Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026

Definition of staggers

Noun

Artisanal mine collapses are common in Central African Republic, where thousands of people work in small-scale mining, often with little protection.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Gold mining expands despite safety risks Artisanal mine collapses are common in Central African Republic, where thousands of people work in small-scale mining, often with little protection.

— Jean Fernand Koena, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of collapses

Noun

But in a world where a few basis points separates legends from washouts, a 10-point edge is an enormous windfall for anyone who trusted Kalshi’s numbers over those crunched by CME, the giant futures-exchange operator.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026
The two subsequent washouts have given Sri Lanka a 1-0 series victory.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 June 2026

Definition of washouts

Verb

And the reduced flow of goods through one of the world’s most consequential shipping lanes could create a ripple effect that shakes the world’s economy.

— Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 26 Aug. 2026
Miami likely will hold off on signing a 15th player to a standard contract, at least for now, in order to see who shakes free in the buyout market.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of shakes

Noun

But after Annapurna moved from financing its movies to distributing them in 2017, costs rose, flops piled up, and Megan Ellison scaled back her ambitions.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026
In taking such a single-minded view of the market, Tottenham are hoping to avoid signing any expensive flops – think Tanguy Ndombele or Roberto Soldado – or talented players who are unsuited to English football, such as Giovani Lo Celso.

— Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of flops

Noun

There have only been four games in the current run, and one of the three upsets was relatively modest.

— Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
This week, the West African island nation of Cape Verde, making its World Cup debut, delivered one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far by holding tournament favorites Spain to a 0-0 draw.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of upsets

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“Lurches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurches. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of lurches

verb

noun

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