scurry

verb

scur·​ry ˈskər-ē How to pronounce scurry (audio)
ˈskə-rē
scurried; scurrying

intransitive verb

1
: to move in or as if in a brisk pace : scamper
2
: to move around in an agitated, confused, or fluttering manner
scurry noun

Example Sentences

She scurried off to finish the job. Mice scurried around the house.
Recent Examples on the Web The existence of mammals during the Age of Dinosaurs was one of prey—as small, squirrel-like creatures that scurried among the feet of lumbering giants. Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 16 May 2023 Rats scurried around the building throughout the year last season and while they’ve been removed — after some players had to spend time cleaning their feces out of buckets and other supply areas — they’ve have been replaced with frogs in the walls. Shane Hoffmann, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023 Sponge crabs are a family of crustaceans that scurry through the ocean shallows, or anywhere with a substantial population of sea sponges. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 1 Dec. 2022 Across the board, brokers have seen buyers scurrying to avoid the steep tax. Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2023 Hot economic data sent both stock and bond investors scurrying by adding to worries about the tightness of the Federal Reserve's interest-rate policy. Eric Wallerstein, WSJ, 21 Feb. 2023 So loud that the birds and squirrels in the trees above us scurried away. Erika D. Smithcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2023 Returning to the Rat Race After the Justinianic Plague and Late Antique Little Ice Age subsided, black rats once again began to scurry about northern European trading settlements. Raleigh Mcelvery, Discover Magazine, 3 May 2022 No sooner had Fauci relented than the national focus shifted to an ongoing crisis of the global supply chain that is clearly going to crimp the Christmas shopping season, forcing the Biden administration to scurry to try to alleviate a long-running, highly complex mess . . . Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 17 Oct. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scurry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

short for hurry-scurry, reduplication of hurry

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scurry was in 1810

Dictionary Entries Near scurry

Cite this Entry

“Scurry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scurry. Accessed 10 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

scurry

verb
scur·​ry ˈskər-ē How to pronounce scurry (audio)
ˈskə-rē
scurried; scurrying
: to move briskly : scamper
scurry noun

More from Merriam-Webster on scurry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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