skulk 1 of 2

verb

ˈskəlk How to pronounce skulk (audio)
Definition of skulknext
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

Synonym Chooser

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

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 skulk
Verb
Red, skulking around the lower edge of the painting, seems subject to gravity’s laws in ways that blue is not. —Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 Some of the Jurassic giants took their sweet time, moving in fits and starts; others might have skulked more urgently. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Jan. 2025 Team Melissa leaves and convenes in the parking lot, with Jackie skulking around the corner afraid of running into them. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2024 Even so, there’s a profound loneliness skulking around his book. —Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for skulk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulk
  1. lurk
  2. hide
  3. weasel
  4. sneak
  5. lie
  6. skunk
  7. snake
Verb
  • Bex, lurking in the shadows while waiting on backup, couldn’t quite get a shot at Jenna, but someone did — Shane, who had chosen the team over learning about his mom.
    — Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The fear, flashbacks and PTSD are constantly lurking, ready to erupt.
    — Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • The couple went viral in 2022 when food blogger Carissa Stanton moved into their former Venice, Calif., home and found old photographs of Dann and Karen hidden in the fireplace.
    — Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The shooter behind the 2023 Nashville elementary school attack that killed six people, including three children, had been obsessively planning it for years while hiding mental health issues from family and doctors, a police report released Wednesday reveals.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of hide
Noun
  • Also the forests are vital for the other creatures living there—native brook trout and a rare mammal called a fisher, which is related to weasels and otters.
    — Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • This kind of urban deadbeat dad, little street weasel.
    — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of weasel
Verb
  • But a better travel pillow does all that and sneaks an extra day’s worth of clothing onto the plane without catching a gate agent’s attention.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
  • How did Passover and Easter sneak up on us so fast?
    — Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • For Manal, the real power of the album lies in speaking up about topics considered taboo in society.
    — Nour Ezzedine, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The biggest game-changer for apparel and textiles lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), automation and supply chain visibility.
    — Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of lie
Noun
  • Weasels, skunks, possum, snakes (to eat eggs), and all sorts of other common creatures will become regular visitors to your yard, mostly at night.
    — Sal Gilbertie, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • It has been detected in 40 wild mammal species in 36 states, killing bears, harbor seals, foxes, squirrels and skunks, among other creatures.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of skunk
Noun
  • But venoms—like the kind from the insanely venomous inland taipan snake (which is, of course, Australian)—now, that’s a different story.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2025
  • From the clip, the Descendants star has a snake, a few dainty motifs on her fingers, what appears to be a Gemini zodiac sign on her upper thigh and tons of phrases covering her body.
    — Michelle Lee, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of snake

Browse Nearby Words

skulduggery
skulk
skulked
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Cite this Entry

“Skulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulk. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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