1
as in encroaching
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
neighborhoods worming into lands reserved for wildlife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in sneaking
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 creeping
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of worming
The best success comes using it in jungle-thick cover, worming a minnow down between uncooperative branches.
—
John Phillips,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
In terms of the complex set design — which looks like a facsimile of the same passage over and over but with subtle differences worming their way in — Kawamura and his team built two identical corridors for cinematographer Keisuke Imamura to follow the actors through, third- and first-person-style.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
Clara ends up moving to the small town and worming her way into everyone’s hearts.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Dec. 2025
Traitors is worming its way in there.
—
Mckinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
John Phillips,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
In terms of the complex set design — which looks like a facsimile of the same passage over and over but with subtle differences worming their way in — Kawamura and his team built two identical corridors for cinematographer Keisuke Imamura to follow the actors through, third- and first-person-style.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
Clara ends up moving to the small town and worming her way into everyone’s hearts.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Dec. 2025
Traitors is worming its way in there.
—
Mckinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worming
Verb
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Keeping the encroaching natural world at bay is a struggle in neighborhoods adjacent to Los Angeles County’s wildlands.
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Not even underage performers are safe from the encroaching tech.
Verb
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Just a few weeks into the war, one of the Persian Gulf’s top oil producers quietly began sneaking its crude out of the Strait of Hormuz.
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But neither those measures nor Friday’s sizzling temperatures stopped fans from gathering in hopes of sneaking a peak at their longtime idol and sending Swift their well wishes.
Verb
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Costs begin creeping higher, margins get a little tighter and profitability comes under pressure.
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About 1 million 16-to-24-year-olds now find themselves not in employment, education or training, with levels creeping toward highs not seen since the 2008 financial crash.
Verb
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Towle, 26, is currently in between stages of a clinical trial involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy.
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Lanzani plays Rubio, an army officer tasked with infiltrating the Santa Cruz Church where the relatives of the missing have begun organizing.
Verb
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The Germans were crawling as far as the street, dashing across the asphalt, then leaping into the second trench.
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Jude Cornell joined a swarm of toddlers crawling after soccer balls, tossing training cones into the air and relocating a goalie net that was proving to be very, very portable.
Verb
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Getting a digital copy of a game works simply by inserting a compatible disc and installing and playing the game.
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In fact, constantly inserting yourself into everything can slow the organization down and weaken accountability across the team.
Verb
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They were surprised by the line snaking out the door and the $5 cover to get into the hockey dive bar.
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Fuel rationing has been introduced in many regions, with hourslong queues of cars snaking beside roads.
Verb
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In its latest trends report, Embark says September is pacing ahead of last year in Europe, while July is slipping—the first time that has happened in the company's history.
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Cleveland is probably most at risk of slipping toward the sell side, but the Guardians have made the playoffs two years in a row and have stayed in playoff contention these past three months.
Cite this Entry
“Worming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worming. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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