as in scurrying
to proceed or move quickly
mice scuttling across the barn floor to escape the cats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of scuttling
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
The rationale was that any war Israel fought would inflame popular anti-Israeli sentiment in the Arab and Muslim world, scuttling the Abraham Accords as Arab governments would withdraw out of fear of backlash.
—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Downstairs, a styling session for the fall 2026 collection; up here, on the fourth floor, almost every inch of space is taken by patternmakers, bolts of fabric, designers scuttling about, and racks and more racks of clothes.
—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Paramount cliched its $31-a-share in cash merger for WBD on February 27, scuttling Warner’s previous agreement with Netflix.
—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Passengers were abandoning them, like rats scuttling off a sinking ship, and people stood on the sidewalks, looking at their phones, or looking at the city, frowning, desperate.
—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
They're carried around by giant mechanical spiders, sometimes seen scuttling through the bowels of Jabba's Palace.
—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Artificial reefs, created by scuttling ships, sinking oil rigs, or dropping rubble into the sea, have long been known to improve aquatic life, so perhaps these findings are unsurprising.
—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
19 Dec. 2025
Pro tip Tack on a night at the Balmoral prior to the trip to avoid any travel snafus scuttling your voyage, and perhaps a few more on the back end to allow proper time to reacclimate.
—
Jake Emen,
Robb Report,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
The court complaint against the utilities commission and the California Attorney General’s office asks for a court order declaring that California cannot stop AT&T from scuttling landlines.
—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
The rationale was that any war Israel fought would inflame popular anti-Israeli sentiment in the Arab and Muslim world, scuttling the Abraham Accords as Arab governments would withdraw out of fear of backlash.
—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Downstairs, a styling session for the fall 2026 collection; up here, on the fourth floor, almost every inch of space is taken by patternmakers, bolts of fabric, designers scuttling about, and racks and more racks of clothes.
—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Paramount cliched its $31-a-share in cash merger for WBD on February 27, scuttling Warner’s previous agreement with Netflix.
—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Passengers were abandoning them, like rats scuttling off a sinking ship, and people stood on the sidewalks, looking at their phones, or looking at the city, frowning, desperate.
—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
They're carried around by giant mechanical spiders, sometimes seen scuttling through the bowels of Jabba's Palace.
—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Artificial reefs, created by scuttling ships, sinking oil rigs, or dropping rubble into the sea, have long been known to improve aquatic life, so perhaps these findings are unsurprising.
—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
19 Dec. 2025
Pro tip Tack on a night at the Balmoral prior to the trip to avoid any travel snafus scuttling your voyage, and perhaps a few more on the back end to allow proper time to reacclimate.
—
Jake Emen,
Robb Report,
18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuttling
Noun
-
At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
-
The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
Verb
-
If seeing one scurrying through your living room sends you scrambling for a quick remedy, your instincts are on track.
-
The cute animal, who was wearing a leash, was seen happily scurrying around the sandy coastline at sunset, while also taking a dip in the water, alongside Atkins' dog.
Verb
-
Set over the course of eight years (including the lockdown period during COVID), Herry’s film unfolds fluidly, neither hurrying scenes up unnecessarily, nor lingering too long on any incident.
-
No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.
Verb
-
On the streets of Paris, editors and buyers have been rushing between shows fan-in-hand, from high-tech cooling devices to tried-and-true paper fans.
-
Hike in pristine wilderness, go for a dip in Lake Siskiyou or Castle Lake, or get on a rushing river with a local outfitter.
Verb
-
Taylor loves her Easter eggs, and there are rumors flying that Madison Square Garden is simply a bold ploy to redirect fans’ (and the media’s) attention away from where her true nuptials will be.
-
So, at this point, the town of Calistoga doesn't seem willing to take a chance that flying cars will be showing up any time soon.
Verb
-
Boise and Ada County have created infractions for speeding on the Greenbelt, and the city worked with Lime, a popular electric transportation company, to limit scooter speeds in parts of the city.
-
The driver, 26-year-old Saah Foiyoe, was neither speeding nor impaired, according to police.
Verb
-
In 2023, more than a decade after a experiencing season-ending racing injuries, Muniz decided to pursue his dream of NASCAR racing full-throttle and announced his return to stock car racing in the ARCA Menards Series.
-
Wildfire season is just beginning in the West, but firefighting resources are already strained following a windstorm last week that sent flames racing through Great Basin states mired in drought.
Verb
-
Production runs from a Los Angeles home base plus two traveling studios that move to the best matches each day, borrowing the fanfest grammar of Big Noon Kickoff.
-
For those traveling in first class, the Coast Starlight offers a full dining car experience, with meals included throughout the journey.
Cite this Entry
“Scuttling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuttling. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
