decamp

verb

de·​camp di-ˈkamp 

dē-

decamped; decamping; decamps

intransitive verb

1

: to break up a camp

2

: to depart suddenly : abscond

decampment

di-ˈkamp-mənt 

dē-

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

Carlisle, whose vibrant 2024 album Critterland was a Rolling Stone staff favorite, decamped to New Orleans with Childers and his band, the Food Stamps, to cut The Universal Bubba in a DIY home studio. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026

Should everyone on the Upper East Side just decamp to the Hamptons while this gets worked out? — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 15 July 2026

Outdoor activities are best in the cooler mornings; Ward suggests decamping to museums or waterside activities for the afternoon. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

And the problem with implementing such plans at the local level is that the rich can always decamp to Austin or Miami, as some of California’s billionaires are threatening to do over a ballot measure that would take 5 percent of their wealth. — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026

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

Rhymes for decamp

• encamp
• headlamp
• preamp
• revamp
• timestamp
• amp
• champ
• clamp
• cramp
• damp
• gamp
• lamp

Kids Definition

decamp

verb

de·​camp di-ˈkamp 

1

: to pack up gear and leave a camp

2

: to depart suddenly : abscond

decamped with the funds

decampment

-mənt 

noun