Verb
The kids were scampering around the yard.
A mouse scampered across the floor.
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.
Verb
Killing birds, scampering around the crawl space at night, making the local coyotes snarl at Charlie’s SUV… everything Katie does has to be deniable enough for her parents to roll with it, a story choice that defangs Cronin’s ability to let loose.—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026 The Georgian winger then held his shot, instead scampering past Mamardashvili before calmly slotting the ball into the net.—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
In late March, turtles sun themselves at the river's edge; Gambel's quail scamper between the rocks.—Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026 Along the neural pathways of his multisystem scampers chaos as of eight voices—nine, for his brain is no idle onlooker.—Mandy-Suzanne Wong, Longreads, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scamper
Word History
Etymology
Verb
probably from obsolete Dutch schampen to flee, from Middle French escamper, from Italian scampare, from Vulgar Latin *excampare to decamp, from Latin ex- + campus field