worm

1 of 2

noun

ˈwərm 

often attributive

1

a

: earthworm

broadly : an annelid worm

b

: any of numerous relatively small elongated usually naked and soft-bodied animals (such as a grub, pinworm, tapeworm, shipworm, or slowworm)

2

a

: a human being who is an object of contempt, loathing, or pity : wretch

b

: something that torments or devours from within

3

archaic : snake, serpent

4

: helminthiasis

—usually used in plural

5

: something (such as a mechanical device) spiral or vermiculate in form or appearance: such as

a

: the thread of a screw

b

: a short revolving screw whose threads gear with the teeth of a worm wheel or a rack

c

: archimedes' screw

also : a conveyor working on the principle of such a screw

6

: a usually small self-contained and self-replicating computer program that invades computers on a network and usually performs a destructive action

wormlike

ˈwərm-ˌlīk 

adjective

worm

2 of 2

verb

wormed; worming; worms

intransitive verb

: to move or proceed sinuously or insidiously

transitive verb

1

a

: to proceed or make (one's way) insidiously or deviously

worm their way into positions of power

—Bill Franzen

b

: to insinuate or introduce (oneself) by devious or subtle means

c

: to cause to move or proceed in or as if in the manner of a worm

2

: to wind rope or yarn spirally round and between the strands of (a cable or rope) before serving

3

: to obtain or extract by artful or insidious questioning or by pleading, asking, or persuading

—usually used with out of

finally wormed the truth out of him

4

: to treat (an animal) with a drug to destroy or expel parasitic worms

Synonyms

Verb

• creep
• encroach
• inch

Examples of worm in a Sentence

Noun

I often see worms in the garden.

We always used worms as bait for fishing.

Verb

He slowly wormed through the crowd.

He slowly wormed his way through the crowd.

You should have the dog vaccinated and wormed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Convince us that studying this strange worm is really relevant to us. —Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

His preliminary results on the spread of the worm are in the process of being published. —Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024

Verb

With that, a huge part of any new sports league is finding the right theme song, one that will stick viewers, carrying them through victory and sorrow, and worming its way into the back on their mind after endless hours of repetition. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2024

The uncertainty, the instability, the danger that pervades his life worms off the page and into your brain. —Longreads, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English wyrm serpent, worm; akin to Old High German wurm serpent, worm, Latin vermis worm

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1610, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing worm

• acorn worm
• arrow worm
• bladder worm
• cabbage worm
• clam worm
• dew worm
• Guinea worm
• Guinea worm disease
• horsehair worm
• imported cabbage worm
• jumping worm
• measuring worm
• railroad worm
• red worm
• ribbon worm
• spiny-headed worm
• the worm turns
• tube worm
• tubifex worm
• worm-eaten
• worm fence
• worm gear
• worm into
• worm load
• worm out of
• worm's-eye
• worm snake
• worm wheel

Kids Definition

worm

1 of 2 noun

ˈwərm 

1

a

: earthworm

b

: any of various long creeping or crawling animals (as a grub or tapeworm) that usually have soft bodies

2

: a person who is hated or pitied : wretch

3

plural : infection with or disease caused by parasitic worms

4

: something in the form of a coil

5

: a usually small self-contained and self-replicating computer program that invades computers on a network and usually performs a destructive action compare trojan horse sense 2, virus sense 3

wormlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

worm

2 of 2 verb

1

: to obtain by cleverness or trickery or by pleading or persuading

wormed the truth out of him

2

: to move, go, or work slowly in the manner of a worm

wormed out of the trap

wormed my way into a job

3

: to rid (as a dog) of parasitic worms

Medical Definition

worm

1 of 2 noun

ˈwərm 

1

: any of various relatively small elongated usually naked and soft-bodied parasitic animals (as of the phylum Platyhelminthes)

2

: helminthiasis

—usually used in plural

a dog with worms

wormlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

worm

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to treat (an animal) with a drug to destroy or expel parasitic worms