as in scurrying
to move quickly and lightly along a surface
Dry leaves skittered over the sidewalk. Mice skittered across the floor.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittering
The first half had been defined by a kind of skittering physicality; Volpato moved through the field with the ball seemingly attached to his foot.
—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
1 July 2026
At the center of its narrative is a spiderish monster, all sticks and sockets, appearing briefly before skittering back to its hole.
—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
Of course, the prospect of one of the greatest women’s footballers in history skittering around Bromley on a Saturday lunchtime in front of a smattering of fans inevitably inspires sneers.
—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
JWords takes a different tack on Sound Therapy, embracing gentle synth melodies and pads that take the edge off her skittering drums and pounding basslines.
—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
All the scooter-sharing stations were empty on that day, and many of the robots we’d been told to expect skittering around the streets had stayed home to keep their sensors dry.
—
Tim Stevens,
ArsTechnica,
4 May 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
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
Ward put the Kings back ahead early in the second, banking in a skittering shot off the far post for his first goal of the season.
—
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
1 July 2026
At the center of its narrative is a spiderish monster, all sticks and sockets, appearing briefly before skittering back to its hole.
—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
Of course, the prospect of one of the greatest women’s footballers in history skittering around Bromley on a Saturday lunchtime in front of a smattering of fans inevitably inspires sneers.
—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
JWords takes a different tack on Sound Therapy, embracing gentle synth melodies and pads that take the edge off her skittering drums and pounding basslines.
—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
All the scooter-sharing stations were empty on that day, and many of the robots we’d been told to expect skittering around the streets had stayed home to keep their sensors dry.
—
Tim Stevens,
ArsTechnica,
4 May 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
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
Ward put the Kings back ahead early in the second, banking in a skittering shot off the far post for his first goal of the season.
—
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittering
Verb
-
If seeing one scurrying through your living room sends you scrambling for a quick remedy, your instincts are on track.
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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
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Dark figures were darting through the shadows—Germans were carrying sacks and pillows to their building.
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But then two attackers made darting runs to the near post, causing chaos in the Uzbekistan defence, the ball squirted through and eventually went in via a combination of Nematov and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Verb
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But Curls Ultra aren’t solely interested in resurrecting the mysticism of the past or indulging in the parties of the present, the occasional fluttering flute solo or boisterous sax line notwithstanding.
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Red, black and gold flags are flying from car bonnets and fluttering on balconies, especially on matchdays.
Verb
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Though the statement was initially shared alongside a video of the two of them dancing with their 5-year-old son, Mauz Mosley Muniz, the post was removed.
-
For years the company has pushed the frontier of what legged robots can do, taking inspiration from dancing, parkour, and gymnastics.
Cite this Entry
“Skittering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittering. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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