skulking
Moving through shadows
Skulking is moving stealthily or lurking with furtive intent.
Someone skulking keeps to shadows, avoids notice, stays where they shouldn't be: I caught him skulking around the back of the house.
The word carries connotations of cowardice or shame—a skulking figure seems to be hiding something or avoiding responsibility.
Plant's vertical support
- prowlRoam stealthily
- huntPursuit of quarry
- preyAnimal being hunted
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
pounce · track · pursue · shadow · circling · watching · waiting · patient
Stealthily deceptive
- covertIntentionally concealed
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- surreptitiousDone secretly, avoiding detection
- secretiveInclined to conceal
shifty · stealthy · underhand · devious · wary · watchful · guarded · evasive
Painful awareness of failure
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- disgraceLoss of honor
dishonor · regret · sheepish · ashamed · embarrassed · chastened · humiliated · contrite
sneak
Move with stealth
creep · sidle · tiptoe · crouch · inch · slither · glide · shadow · stalk · pad
stalk
Plant's vertical support
ambush · pounce · track · pursue · shadow · circling · watching · waiting · patient · silent
sneaky
Stealthily deceptive
- covertIntentionally concealed
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- surreptitiousDone secretly, avoiding detection
secretive · shifty · stealthy · underhand · devious · wary · watchful · guarded · evasive · suspicious
shame
Painful awareness of failure
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
disgrace · dishonor · regret · sheepish · ashamed · embarrassed · chastened · humiliated · contrite · crestfallen
hide
Conceal or pelt
- lurkHide while observing
- camouflageConcealment through visual blending
- coverProtect by overlaying
ambush · evasion · concealment · obscure · veil · shroud · shelter · recess · screen · seclusion
craven
Contemptibly lacking nerve
- timidLacking courage or confidence
- spinelessLacking courage or resolve
- snivelingTearful, pitiful complaining
cowering · fearful · yellow · gutless · weak · retreat · flee · avoid · dodge · shirk
- stealthsneak, ninja, creep, spy, assassin
- gradual motioncrawling, creeping, inching, drifting, gliding
- escape responsesfleeing, flight, running away, escaping, escape
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- concealmentconceal, hiding, concealing, concealed, hide
- cowardicecoward, cowardly, craven, gutless, spineless
skulkingstriding
Walking with long steps
marching · swaggering · strutting · parading · prancing
skulkingconfronting
Addressing directly
facing up · standing one's ground · owning up · taking responsibility