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as in to infiltrate
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of worm
Popping in and out of the party's campaign headquarters with abandon (Secret Service didn't begin to protect the president until 1901), Guiteau tries to worm his way into Garfield's circle and somehow profit.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Any deal would need to worm its way through the competition regulator.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
We as a community contain (often brain-wormed) multitudes, as evidenced by this year’s plethora gay Halloween costumes.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 31 Oct. 2025
After a scramble from Baltimore’s corner kick, Kerr’s header at the back post wormed through a thicket of defenders, and Cuthbert had the final touch.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worm
Verb
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And up-and-coming Chinese firms like Xiaomi (for phones) and TCL (for TVs) are starting to encroach on Samsung’s premium markets.—
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Palace intrigue encroached on his confidence at times.—
Verb
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On her show the evening of January 6, the Fox News host Laura Ingraham wondered aloud whether antifa sympathizers had infiltrated the crowd.—
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Sculptured shoulders, exaggerated silhouettes, color blocking, chunky belts and hearty gold hardware are some of the ways the trend could infiltrate the denim category.—
Verb
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Long lines snaked around the terminal Sunday.—
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Two incumbents — west Charlotte’s Thelma Byers-Bailey and Summer Nunn, whose district snakes along the county’s southern border — chose not to run for reelection to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education.—
Verb
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Once the bulb has finished blooming, remove the wax coating and any wires that may have been inserted into the bottom of the bulb.—
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That was evident against Louisville on Tuesday, when Scheyer inserted Sarr at halftime and had him face-guard sharpshooter Ryan Conwell, who had 16 first-half points.—
Verb
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Now, Letts has brought Coon back to Broadway with the Main Stem debut of his 1996 play Bug, a skin-crawling portrayal of people on the fringes.—
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One team member crawled inside and fired paintballs filled with vegetable oil, wildlife organization BEAR League told Fox News Digital on Thursday.—
Verb
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Some of my earliest memories are sneaking out of bed to sit at the top of the stairs, desperate to catch a glimpse of the gold and the glamour.—
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If the cover art suggests ’70s private-press albums have snuck into Garm’s rotation, the music seems to confirm it.—
Verb
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Grow as a creeping vine or along a trellis.—
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But then the Broncos’ offensive woes crept back to the forefront.—
Verb
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This is the perfect time of year to slip into an ultra-soft flannel set or select a set that exudes hotel luxury.—
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This is designed more like a wallet, with a pouch to slip your passport in as well as external pockets to stash a few essential cards and bills.—
Cite this Entry
“Worm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worm. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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