skulked

past tense of skulk
1
as in lurked
to move about in a sly or secret manner I thought I saw someone skulking about in the shadows

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2
as in hid
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

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 skulked One roach skulked under a food prep table. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025 Soon after My Bloody Valentine skulked into the Wembley Arena spotlights, the initial roar of some 12,000 fans abated. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2025 Money speaks, the land listens, where the Anarchist skulked, where the horsethief plied his trade, we fishers of Americans will cast our nets of perfect ten-acre mesh, leveled and varmint-proofed, ready to build on. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025 The models skulked through The Box like zombies from a past life. — Nadja Sayej, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulked
Verb
  • Former landlords lurked in bushes or on roofs or waited in cars outside our home.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Danger lurked in the shady groves of avocado trees that stretched on the mountainsides as far as the eye could see.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Kraft also took a direct snap and sneaked for a first down on another fourth-and-1 at the Buccaneers 10.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Ersery, a Ruskin product, snuck out of the KC metro to become an all-Big Ten left tackle for Minnesota.
    — PJ Green September 24, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • His penchant for the audacious was on display in 2024 when Puigdemont suddenly appeared in Barcelona, gave a public speech and slipped through the police’s grip.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The father lifted the child to check out the hotel's waterpark visible from a window when the boy somehow slipped and tumbled 12 meters (about 40 feet), falling to his death.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Skulked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulked. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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