worm

1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to infiltrate
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way over a period of several years, the undercover agent was able to worm his way into the drug kingpin's confidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to snake
to move slowly with the body close to the ground the cat silently wormed along the ground as it snuck up on the bird

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 worm The flea larvae, which look like tiny maggots, worm their way into the carpet or mattress, feeding on the flea dirt that their parents left behind, says Benson. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2024 Unsurprisingly, then, my feed has been full of videos detailing lip filler that had wormed its way up to the philtrum (the groove in the upper lip) or, as in TikTok user Alissa aka @alissainthecity's case, gone even further. Charlotte Bitmead, refinery29.com, 20 Sep. 2024 The story centers around Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) a murderous con artist who worms his way into the life of the wealthy Dickey Greenleaf (Jude Law) and Dickey's girlfriend Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow). Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2024 That said, as great as Olivia Colman is in The Favourite, technically speaking Emma Stone’s character, the conniving Abigail, is the real main character, driving the action forward and worming her way into the Queen’s heart (and bed). Tim Grierson, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for worm 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worm
Verb
  • Deputies lifted those who could not walk into police cars and drove quickly away from encroaching fire just coming into view over small hills.
    Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Fears of mainland-style surveillance and policing caused notable angst during the 2019 protests, which broadened to encompass many Hong Kongers’ fears that the central Chinese government would encroach on the city’s limited autonomy.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN, 5 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • While not part of driving updates, Gemini will infiltrate the Maps search with a new ask option.
    Sasha Lekach, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The Venezuelan government is rounding up criminals and depositing them at the U.S.-Mexico border to infiltrate us.
    Alejandro Puyana, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The precinct at Day Springs Community Church off Orange Blossom Trail drew a crowd that snaked outside the building.
    James Wilkins, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Most poignant is the way addiction snakes through family history.
    Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • After making a centimeter-long incision under the chin and, in some cases, two additional poke holes, one behind each earlobe, doctors insert a steel cannula to break up and suction out excess fat.
    Jolene Edgar, Allure, 20 Nov. 2024
  • The wine case inserts—designed to cushion Silver Oak bottles in transit—are manufactured from recycled, non-toxic foam in Wisconsin.
    Rachel King, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Access is easy without the need for ladders (rooftop tents) or crawling (traditional ground tents).
    Fergus Scholes, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Here's why At one point he’s basically indentured to almost comically evil thieves, who force him to crawl through small spaces in the rubble to steal for them.
    Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • While his family makes dinner and festive snacks, the young boy sneaks food and brings a dish to his neighbor's doorstep.
    Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Devin Williams received back-to-back sentences of 25 years to life in prison for the fatal shootings of Maria and Benison Tran, who were shot at near point-blank range after Williams snuck into their Dublin home and confronted them in a fit of jealous rage.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Black Friday 2024 continues to creep closer, and the latest sale was announced by PlayStation through the PlayStation Blog Wednesday morning.
    John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 21 Nov. 2024
  • As members returned to session this week, snapshots of this opposition crept up in GOP leadership fights, Trump’s closed-door meeting with Republican House members and his picks for cabinet roles, giving a preview of what the next few years could look like.
    Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Nations slip their bonds If Musk is right that Trump will deliver a new order, and Dugin is right that the globalists have lost, then dusk now falls on that American Century.
    Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
  • Pulling on his heartstrings works, and Darnell backs down but not without a last word: If Jabari’s grades start slipping, the fight is back on.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near worm

Cite this Entry

“Worm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worm. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on worm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!