# lurking

/ˈɫɝkɪŋ/ (US) · /lˈɜːkɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lurking
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. hidden and waiting

adjective · CEFR B2

waiting or hiding somewhere, especially when you are about to do something bad or sneaky.

For teachers: remaining hidden or waiting in ambush, often with a sinister or predatory intent.

- He had a lurking feeling that someone was following him through the dark park.
- The detective noticed a lurking figure in the shadows of the alleyway, barely visible under the flickering streetlamp.

### 2. present but not seen

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

existing but hidden, like a feeling or a problem that you cannot quite see yet.

For teachers: existing in a latent or undeveloped state; present but not immediately obvious or active.

- There was a lurking danger in the old house that no one wanted to talk about.
- Despite the outward success of the merger, there was a lurking suspicion among the staff that layoffs were inevitable.

### 3. online observation

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the act of reading messages in an online group or social media without writing anything yourself.

For teachers: the practice of observing an online community or social media platform without contributing or posting content.

- After a few weeks of lurking on the forum, I finally felt brave enough to ask a question.
- The moderator noted that while active participation was low, the high volume of lurking suggested the topic was of significant interest to the community.

Usage: Often used in the context of forums, Discord, or social media threads.

## Examples

- A shadow was lurking behind the old tree.
- The cat was lurking in the bushes, waiting for the bird to land.
- A sense of dread was lurking beneath the surface of his polite conversation, unnoticed by his guests.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.