lurched; lurching; lurches
1
: to move with a lurch
suddenly lurched forward
2
: to roll or tip abruptly : pitch
1
: an abrupt jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car moved forward with a lurch
also
: stagger sense 2
2
: a sudden roll of a ship to one side
: a decisive defeat in which an opponent wins a game by more than double the defeated player's score especially in cribbage
lurched; lurching; lurches
Synonyms
Examples of lurch in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the room lurched with every jolt of the earthquake
dressed in his zombie costume, the boy lurched down the street in his quest for Halloween candy
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Promptly, with one short blast of the foghorn, the boat lurched under his feet.
—Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Pressure tactics will backfire, leaving you in the lurch.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lurch 
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Verb
During Trump's first term, freedom of the press in the United States lurched downward, as did trust in media.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Promptly, with one short blast of the foghorn, the boat lurched under his feet.
—Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
The company's upcoming spinoff, however, will live on NBC and Peacock, leaving USA in the lurch.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Pressure tactics will backfire, leaving you in the lurch.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lurch
Articles Related to lurch
Dictionary Entries Near lurch
Cite this Entry
“Lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurch. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lurch
1 of 3 noun
: an overwhelming defeat in a game (as cribbage)
lurch
2 of 3 noun1
: a sudden roll of a ship to one side
2
: a sudden jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car gave a lurch
also
: a staggering gait
lurch
3 of 3 verb1
: to roll or tip suddenly
2
: to move with a lurch
suddenly lurched forward
also
: stagger entry 1 sense 1
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