as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
we skedaddled as soon as we saw the snake entering our campsite
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Recent Examples of skedaddle
Many politicians with ambitions for higher office arrive at events, are introduced, wave, shake a few hands and skedaddled to the next block on the schedule.
—
Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2025
But not on this episode, because Abby and the gang were already skedaddling back to Seattle.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The Nazis took the bait, hook, line and sinker, and skedaddled to Sardinia, smoothing the way for the Allies to take Sicily, a major turning point in World War II.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
The Nazis took the bait, hook, line and sinker, and skedaddled to Sardinia, smoothing the way for the Allies to take Sicily and marking a major turning point in World War II.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
The sun's peeping out, and the budding journalists skedaddle outside, where their friends are just arriving.
—Lauren Migaki, NPR, 22 Feb. 2025
The Confederates saw the score and promptly skedaddled.
—Scott Spillman, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
Under the deal passed just as Congress skedaddled from Washington before the end of the year, the ceiling will be exceeded sometime between January 14 and January 23.
—Peter Green, Quartz, 4 Jan. 2025
Among the five Lab rats are two bosses: onscreen personality Edna (Chloë Sevigny) and Dave (Simon Rex), her partner in business and life, who soon skedaddles back to the States to deal with some legal matters that everyone but Edna is aware of.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2025
But not on this episode, because Abby and the gang were already skedaddling back to Seattle.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The Nazis took the bait, hook, line and sinker, and skedaddled to Sardinia, smoothing the way for the Allies to take Sicily, a major turning point in World War II.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
The Nazis took the bait, hook, line and sinker, and skedaddled to Sardinia, smoothing the way for the Allies to take Sicily and marking a major turning point in World War II.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
The sun's peeping out, and the budding journalists skedaddle outside, where their friends are just arriving.
—Lauren Migaki, NPR, 22 Feb. 2025
The Confederates saw the score and promptly skedaddled.
—Scott Spillman, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
Under the deal passed just as Congress skedaddled from Washington before the end of the year, the ceiling will be exceeded sometime between January 14 and January 23.
—Peter Green, Quartz, 4 Jan. 2025
Among the five Lab rats are two bosses: onscreen personality Edna (Chloë Sevigny) and Dave (Simon Rex), her partner in business and life, who soon skedaddles back to the States to deal with some legal matters that everyone but Edna is aware of.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skedaddle
Verb
-
Following its defeat by Communist Party forces in the Chinese Civil War, the Chinese Nationalist movement, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to the island in 1949 as a government in exile.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
-
In six months, the site has grown from 600 people fleeing gang attacks in nearby Delmas 30 to 5,000 people from all over the capital, sheltering in packed government offices and makeshift shacks.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And if the Fed ends up cutting fewer times than traders expect, including three this year, the market could retreat in disappointment.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
-
One deputy retreated while two of them fired their guns, hitting Williams and Lane, authorities said.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While some travelers choose to fly on Thanksgiving Day for lower prices and crowds, most leave at least a day early to avoid the risk of cancellations or delays upending their holiday plans.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Two games in, though, the Packers have passed both tests with flying colors.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When security is built in rather than bolted on, multitenant systems can rival or even surpass single-tenant ones.—
Khash Kiani,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Wait for your lettuce plants to bolt or flower.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
EDTIn a press conference, authorities shared security camera footage of the gunman running across a roof and jumping down from a building before leaving the Utah Valley University campus.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The design leans rustic (give or take a couple of Togo chairs), with moss green paneling, tartan upholstery, and wood beams running throughout.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Most want to see better protections and less exploitation of fighters so that they are exposed to the least amount of danger in a sport that cannot escape it.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skedaddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skedaddle. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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