scamper
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to run or go hastily or quickly.
-
to run playfully about, as a child.
noun
verb
-
to run about playfully
-
(often foll by through) to hurry quickly through (a place, task, book, etc)
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has scamperedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have scamperedperfect
-
has been scamperingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is scamperingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
are scamperingprogressive
-
am scamperingprogressive 1st person singular
-
have been scamperingperfect progressive
-
scamperssingular 3rd person
-
scamperingparticiple
Past
-
had scamperedperfect
-
had been scamperingperfect progressive
-
was scamperingprogressive singular
-
scamperedparticiple
-
were scamperingprogressive plural
-
scamperedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of scamper
Explanation
To scamper is to move in a hurry. You and your friends might scamper to catch the bus, or your kitten might scamper to catch a mouse. The verb scamper describes something that's moving in disorderly haste, often out of fear or excitement. You might notice that chipmunks scamper the instant your dog goes outside. You can also use scamper as a noun, when you talk about your death-defying scamper across town in an effort to be on time for your first day of work. Scamper was a very popular word in the late 1800s.
Vocabulary lists containing scamper
Where the Red Fern Grows
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Flush
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Contender
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Conflagrations abound—in one, a pair of rabbits anxiously scamper across a road to outrun the flames.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
However, Afsharipour’s 27-yard touchdown scamper pushed the Wildcats’ lead back to two scores early in the fourth quarter.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2025
They had more runners scamper across the plate during the regular season than anybody other than the star-studded New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025
From the resulting penalty, the French would make the extra player count when Escudero had the space to scamper over for her side's first try of the game.
From BBC • Sep. 14, 2025
Then she’d turn around and scamper off, dodging the headstones and yelling over her shoulder, “You still watching, Ruth? Watch out for me!”
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
