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
-
Raman was the only candidate to participate in the post-debate media scrum, speaking extensively with reporters after Bass and Pratt departed shortly after the event.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
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The ship departed from Argentina and investigations into the outbreak’s source are focusing there.—
Molly Quell,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
During a call with analysts later Thursday, Starz president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch announced Stars has exited its Pay-2 film deal agreement with Universal Pictures.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
7 May 2026
-
Ayo Dosunmu made his return from calf soreness, only to exit the game in the first half with heel soreness and not return.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
There is still work to do; however, current congressional leadership has moved us in the right direction.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Before the vote, loud boos resounded as House Republicans arrived and moved through a crowd of protesters from the elevator to the House chamber.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
These were all things the Storm should have been celebrating afterward, but yet, for the second week in a row, the coaches and players will be headed back to the film room to figure out what went wrong.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
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Player of the Week Senior pitcher Jaelynn Anthony goes 4-for-5 for Oswego with three homers, a double and seven RBIs in 14-6 win over Minooka.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
Verb
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These are not women who just help get their grandkids ready for school in the morning or watch them on a Saturday night; these are women who have chosen to become parents again, sparing their grandchildren from life in the foster system.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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About 250 people in Killingworth — the largest group to file a complaint with a fair rent commission in recent history — will get a one-year reprieve from increases after the town’s committee rejected their landowner’s rent adjustment plan.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scarper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarper. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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