scamp

1 of 2

noun

ˈskamp 

1

: rascal, rogue

2

: an impish or playful young person

scampish

ˈskam-pish 

adjective

scamp

2 of 2

verb

scamped; scamping; scamps

transitive verb

: to perform or deal with in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner

Synonyms

Noun

• monkey
• devil
• rascal

Examples of scamp in a Sentence

Noun

those little scamps are always getting into trouble, but no one has the heart to punish them

an insincere and ruthlessly ambitious scamp who was willing to do anything to win the reality show's grand prize

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For a browner crust, broil the scamp for 1-2 minutes before serving. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Jan. 2025

There was a brief flurry of excitement this week when Coritiba, a club in the Brazilian second division, announced that Neymar would be signing for them, but that turned out to be the result of some mischievous scamps who hacked their website. —Nick Miller, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025

Verb

While its individual characters feel largely interchangeable, the movie hums with life and pleasure when Borowczyk lets his nuns twirl around the chapel in a painterly tableau and scamp through the convent. —Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021

Sunshine scamps: The Florida Project is a delighful, poignant, dark-and-light movie about kids living on the seedy side of Disney. —Rebecca Onion, Slate Magazine, 6 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

obsolete scamp to roam about idly

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scamp

• amp
• champ
• clamp
• cramp
• damp
• gamp
• lamp
• ramp
• samp
• stamp
• tamp
• tramp

Kids Definition

scamp

noun

ˈskamp

: rascal sense 2