skulk

1 of 2

verb

ˈskəlk

skulked; skulking; skulks

intransitive verb

: to move in a stealthy or furtive manner

skulked into her sister's room

: to hide or conceal something (such as oneself) often out of cowardice or fear or with sinister intent

chiefly British : malinger

skulker noun

skulk

2 of 2

noun

: one that skulks

: a group of foxes

Did you know?

Here's one for the word-puzzle lovers. Can you name three things that the word skulk has in common with all of these other words: booth, brink, cog, flit, kid, meek, scab, seem, and skull? If you noticed that all of the terms on that list have just one syllable, then you've got the first, and easiest, similarity, but the next two are likely to prove a little harder to guess. Do you give up? All of the words listed above are of Scandinavian origin and all were first recorded in English in the 13th century. As for skulk specifically, its closest known Scandinavian relative is the Norwegian dialect word skulka, which means "to lie in wait" or "to lurk."

Example Sentences

Verb A man was skulking around outside. She skulked into her sister's room. Noun the animal control officers caught the stray cat that had been skulking behind some trash cans

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Of more than 3,500 mosquito species that skulk about the planet, fewer than 10 percent (and only the females, at that) enjoy nibbling on humans.

Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 Product managers would skulk around Los Angeles parks, where they were routinely questioned by police, with their handheld units to try and find satellites.

Andrew Freeman, Outside Online, 21 May 2012 So, the best way to offer support and assistance is to let her skulk off and hide in a corner?

Star Tribune, 2 June 2021 The broadcaster obliged, was affable and didn't skulk through the gauntlet.

Guy Martin, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2021 Moreover, disirregardless of what Jamie Lee asserts, irregardless did not skulk into the dictionary just this year.

Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2020 Osama bin Laden skulked in caves and a nondescript house in Pakistan.

The Economist, 21 May 2020 Harder to ignore are the creepy attentions of Lester (Clayton Hoff), who skulks around on the fringes of gatherings and leers at her through glasses with one lens mysteriously blackened.

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2020 Someone skulked around Playland, the Cliff House and Sutro Baths. ...

Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, 17 Apr. 2020

Noun

Meantime, others in the household skulk around, muttering about plans regarding Lady Aghdas and her inheritance.

Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 1 Dec. 2021 The park's tree-climbing lions often lie in wait on the branches of sycamores, while leopards skulk in the tall grasses.

Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2021 The household staple skulks in sinks amid dirty dishes and soggy food scraps, sopping up and amplifying microbial forces capable of invading clean food spaces.

Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 31 July 2017 See More

skulk 1 of 2

verb

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

Relevance

lurk
sneak
slink
slip
crawl
mouse
steal
slide
snake
creep
tiptoe
shirk
pussyfoot
mooch
edge
inch
ghost
worm
pad

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

lurk
hide
lie
slink
sneak
repose
evade
lie low
hole up
elude
sit tight
avoid

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

appear
turn up
materialize
show up
come out

skulk

2 of 2

noun

as in sneak

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

sneak
weasel
skulker
skunk
lurker
snake
sneaker
slyboots
spy
snoop
stalker
sharper
swindler
snooper
sharpy
sharpie
slicker

Synonym Chooser

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

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

The synonyms slink and skulk are sometimes interchangeable, but slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

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

单词	skulk
释义	skulk 1 of 2 verb ˈskəlk skulked; skulking; skulks intransitive verb 1 : to move in a stealthy or furtive manner skulked into her sister's room 2 a : to hide or conceal something (such as oneself) often out of cowardice or fear or with sinister intent b chiefly British : malinger skulker noun skulk 2 of 2 noun 1 : one that skulks 2 : a group of foxes Did you know? Here's one for the word-puzzle lovers. Can you name three things that the word skulk has in common with all of these other words: booth, brink, cog, flit, kid, meek, scab, seem, and skull? If you noticed that all of the terms on that list have just one syllable, then you've got the first, and easiest, similarity, but the next two are likely to prove a little harder to guess. Do you give up? All of the words listed above are of Scandinavian origin and all were first recorded in English in the 13th century. As for skulk specifically, its closest known Scandinavian relative is the Norwegian dialect word skulka, which means "to lie in wait" or "to lurk." Synonyms Verb lurk mooch mouse pussyfoot shirk slide slink slip snake sneak steal Noun lurker skulker slyboots sneak sneaker See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb A man was skulking around outside. She skulked into her sister's room. Noun the animal control officers caught the stray cat that had been skulking behind some trash cans Recent Examples on the Web Verb Of more than 3,500 mosquito species that skulk about the planet, fewer than 10 percent (and only the females, at that) enjoy nibbling on humans. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 Product managers would skulk around Los Angeles parks, where they were routinely questioned by police, with their handheld units to try and find satellites. Andrew Freeman, Outside Online, 21 May 2012 So, the best way to offer support and assistance is to let her skulk off and hide in a corner? Star Tribune, 2 June 2021 The broadcaster obliged, was affable and didn't skulk through the gauntlet. Guy Martin, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2021 Moreover, disirregardless of what Jamie Lee asserts, irregardless did not skulk into the dictionary just this year. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2020 Osama bin Laden skulked in caves and a nondescript house in Pakistan. The Economist, 21 May 2020 Harder to ignore are the creepy attentions of Lester (Clayton Hoff), who skulks around on the fringes of gatherings and leers at her through glasses with one lens mysteriously blackened. Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2020 Someone skulked around Playland, the Cliff House and Sutro Baths. ... Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, 17 Apr. 2020 Noun Meantime, others in the household skulk around, muttering about plans regarding Lady Aghdas and her inheritance. Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 1 Dec. 2021 The park's tree-climbing lions often lie in wait on the branches of sycamores, while leopards skulk in the tall grasses. Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2021 The household staple skulks in sinks amid dirty dishes and soggy food scraps, sopping up and amplifying microbial forces capable of invading clean food spaces. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 31 July 2017 See More Word History Etymology Verb Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect skulka to lie in wait, lurk First Known Use Verb 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition skulk verb ˈskəlk skulked; skulking : to hide or move in a sly or sneaking way The thief skulked behind a fence. skulk 1 of 2 verb 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 Relevance lurk sneak slink slip crawl mouse steal slide snake creep tiptoe shirk pussyfoot mooch edge inch ghost worm pad 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 lurk hide lie slink sneak repose evade lie low hole up elude sit tight avoid Antonyms & Near Antonyms appear turn up materialize show up come out skulk 2 of 2 noun as in sneak 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 sneak weasel skulker skunk lurker snake sneaker slyboots spy snoop stalker sharper swindler snooper sharpy sharpie slicker Synonym Chooser 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 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 The synonyms slink and skulk are sometimes interchangeable, but slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention. slunk around the corner 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
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skulk

verb

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser