decamp

verb

de·​camp di-ˈkamp How to pronounce decamp (audio)
dē-
decamped; decamping; decamps

intransitive verb

1
: to break up a camp
2
: to depart suddenly : abscond
decampment noun

Examples of decamp in a Sentence

She took the papers and decamped. He decamped to Europe soon after news of the scandal broke.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
She was first spotted in her eponymous neighborhood in Queens in 2024 before decamping to idyllic Roosevelt Island, that skinny strip of parks and apartment towers in the middle of the East River. Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025 Avery’s best friend, Frances, has decamped to North Carolina to shack up with a plain, natural ram’s-horn sort of man. Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025 Celeste Burgoyne, president of the Americas and global guest innovation, is decamping from the active giant at the end of the year to become chief revenue officer for Vail Resorts. Evan Clark, Footwear News, 21 Nov. 2025 The governor spoke Monday at a global investors summit in Sao Paulo before decamping to Belém, Brazil, for COP30, the annual global climate conference. Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decamp

Word History

Etymology

French décamper, from Middle French descamper, from des- de- + camper to camp

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decamp was in 1676

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decamp. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

decamp

verb
de·​camp di-ˈkamp How to pronounce decamp (audio)
1
: to pack up gear and leave a camp
2
: to depart suddenly : abscond
decamped with the funds
decampment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decamp

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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