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Here's one for the word-puzzle lovers. Name three qualities that the word skulk shares with each of the following 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. The next two require some special knowledge: all of the words 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.” Skulk is also used—though less often—as a noun, referring either to “one that skulks” or to a group of foxes, animals often held to be furtively lurking around.
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Examples of skulk in a Sentence
Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2024
Nevertheless, Laura’s main occupation is sulking and skulking in shadows, being mad, and throwing vegetables.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2024
As a bored kid in Leningrad in the 1960s and 1970s, Putin skulked at the back of classrooms but was energized in his free time by his pursuit of judo.
—Fiona Hill, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2013
The key to a good salsa is to hit all the flavor components, and this salsa does just that: Sweet and sharp citrus, laced with skulking chile heat, mingles with spring garlic.
—Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for skulk 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skulk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Skulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skulk. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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