Meanings
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1
noun
a person who reads or observes an online community without posting or participating
After months as a lurker, she finally introduced herself to the forum.
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2
noun
a person who remains hidden, waits secretly, or moves about unnoticed
A watchman reported a lurker on the stairs after midnight.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Opposites
Etymology
Formed from lurk + the agent suffix -er, originally naming someone who stays concealed. The online-community sense preserves the same image: the user is present and watching but remains unseen because they do not contribute.