skulk
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
-
a person who skulks.
-
a pack or group of foxes.
-
Rare. an act or instance of skulking.
verb
-
to move stealthily so as to avoid notice
-
to lie in hiding; lurk
-
to shirk duty or evade responsibilities; malinger
noun
-
a person who skulks
-
obsolete a pack of foxes or other animals that creep about stealthily
Synonym Usage
See lurk.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skulk
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Scandinavian (not in Old Norse ); compare Danish, Norwegian skulke, Swedish skolka “to play hooky”
Explanation
Skulking is cowardly. It means hiding out, either because you're trying to pull something off in secret, or because you're trying to get out of doing something you're supposed to be doing. If you cut school, it makes sense to do it in the style of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and enjoy yourself. Will the punishment be worse than if you skulk around town, avoiding teachers and people your parents know, not doing anything you really want to do? In spy movies, there are always bad guys in hotel lobbies, skulking about, hiding behind open newspapers.
Vocabulary lists containing skulk
Animal Farm
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You could skulk back to the Other Place.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2024
Late winter sunlight casts long shadows from workers crossing the parking lot, where stray cats skulk among the cars.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2024
It’s a classic safari moment: A lion stands over a fresh carcass while hyenas skulk at the periphery, heads low.
From National Geographic • Feb. 8, 2024
She has to do her work at night and skulk around in the darkness.
From Salon • Oct. 14, 2023
I skulk around all morning, searching desperately for Marlena.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
