as in to scurry
to move quickly and lightly along a surface
Dry leaves skittered over the sidewalk. Mice skittered across the floor.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 skitter
Ice crystals skittered across the plateau, catching in the curve of the sastrugi before blowing free.
—
Cree Lefavour, New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2026
Mites, even when skittering in proximity to your eyeballs, are a totally normal part of your skin’s microbiome, feeding on oil and dead skin cells inside hair follicles.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
Tiny crabs skitter the shoreline.
—Ryan Ballogg
updated February 26, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead of skittering off, the hot droplets start sticking and seeping into the surface texture, and leave wet patches behind.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skitter
Cree Lefavour, New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2026
Mites, even when skittering in proximity to your eyeballs, are a totally normal part of your skin’s microbiome, feeding on oil and dead skin cells inside hair follicles.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
Tiny crabs skitter the shoreline.
—Ryan Ballogg
updated February 26, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead of skittering off, the hot droplets start sticking and seeping into the surface texture, and leave wet patches behind.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skitter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skitter
Verb
-
Wittorp scurried over to a curtained side entrance.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
That’s because the ride has one of the best animatronic figures in SoCal, namely a black cat scurrying across a piano.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Like a vibrantly hued snake darting down the narrow branch of a tree, the collective of high-performance automobiles rapidly navigates the narrow, serpentine artery along the Northeastern Italian coast, a quicksilver-like tracing of the border between Il Bel Paese and Slovenia.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
-
In the fourth quarter with the game on the line, Blair called a loose-ball foul on the Cavs and Atkinson hated the call, but rather than scream or dart toward the official, Atkinson just sort of stood near his bench, staring at Blair and shaking his head.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Bar staff are dancing atop a column attempting to pour champagne down a woman’s throat.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
-
Memorable concerts have included a 2019 interdisciplinary arts program featuring everything from music for two pianos to dance and children’s favorites, as well as a 2020 performance celebrating the installation of the bells.—
Susan Soldavin,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
In the garden, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be found flitting among the dazzling blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
The vibe is old Key West to the max, with a tropical interior courtyard where a patio overlooks the pool and butterflies flit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Elke and Alysia started seeing the big bugs fluttering around in late April, and as their numbers grew through early May, the native rainbows started keying in on them more and more.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
-
No one enjoys finding moths fluttering around the flour or tiny caterpillars crawling in the cereal.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skitter. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
