MEANING
To move abruptly in a way that suggests loss of balance or control.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- lurch forward
- lurch to a halt
On the page
The carriage lurched forward before she could sit down.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- lurch
- Third-person present
- lurches
- Past tense
- lurched
- Past participle
- lurched
- Present participle
- lurching
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- lurch / lurches
- Present continuous
- am/is/are lurching
- Present perfect
- have/has lurched
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been lurching
- Past
- lurched
- Past continuous
- was/were lurching
- Past perfect
- had lurched
- Past perfect continuous
- had been lurching
- Future
- will lurch
- Future continuous
- will be lurching
- Future perfect
- will have lurched
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been lurching
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: lurch; lurches; lurched; lurched; lurching Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: lurches.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.