as in to depart
to leave a place often for another
I went looking for Sally at the pub, but she'd scarpered
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Recent Examples of scarper
Taylor Tomlinson will host After Midnight, the show that is replacing The Late Late Show now that James Corden has scarpered off to old Blighty.
—
Vulture, 1 Nov. 2023
Idrissa Gueye has scarpered, but that void was instantly filled by Mainz midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin - while Moise Kean, goodness knows how, has signed from Juventus to sharpen things up front.
—SI.com, 5 Aug. 2019
Ms Collett compares it to the muggy period before a thunderstorm, when the squirrels have scarpered and the air is pregnant with foreboding of trouble ahead.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
Vulture, 1 Nov. 2023
Idrissa Gueye has scarpered, but that void was instantly filled by Mainz midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin - while Moise Kean, goodness knows how, has signed from Juventus to sharpen things up front.
—SI.com, 5 Aug. 2019
Ms Collett compares it to the muggy period before a thunderstorm, when the squirrels have scarpered and the air is pregnant with foreboding of trouble ahead.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarper
Verb
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After someone threw an object at a departing police vehicle’s back window and broke it, police launched 40-mm projectiles and chemical munitions.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
9 Jan. 2026
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The transfer portal, which opened Friday, allows programs to accelerate the rebuilding process and replace departing players — more than 20 in Florida’s case.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kinnear exited Talk Soup for his own late-night talk show, NBC's Later with Greg Kinnear.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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The agents then exit the vehicle and the video cuts off right before the deadly shooting.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Enrollment Though still growing overall, state economists reported in early January that K-12 enrollment numbers were nearly 42,500 lower than predicted, with signs of continuing downward trends moving forward.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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Researchers at the University of Manchester, led by Professor Thomas Anthopoulos, have successfully stabilized perovskite solar cells, which could help move the low-cost technology into the global mass market.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Most of them go deep into the memory vault of childhood, recalling fishing trips and family gatherings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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Nordstrom Lucky Brand Fair Isle Shawl-Collar Cardigan Both Lopez’s and Hudson’s sweaters appear to be from Polo Ralph Lauren (the former’s looks like this one that's no longer available, while the latter’s resembles this one that goes for $798).—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Want to get ahead at work with AI?—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
13 Jan. 2026
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After a turnover by the Kraken in the neutral zone back across the blue line, Carrick got the puck, skated into the left circle and beat Grubauer low on the blocker side.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scarper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarper. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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