scoop

American  

[skoop] / skup /

noun

1. a ladle or ladlelike utensil, especially a small, deep-sided shovel with a short, horizontal handle, for taking up flour, sugar, etc.

2. a utensil composed of a palm-sized hollow hemisphere attached to a horizontal handle, for dishing out ice cream or other soft foods.

3. a hemispherical portion of food as dished out by such a utensil.

   two scoops of chocolate ice cream.

4. the bucket of a dredge, steam shovel, etc.

5. Surgery. a spoonlike apparatus for removing substances or foreign objects from the body.

6. a hollow or hollowed-out place.

7. the act of ladling, dipping, dredging, etc.

8. the quantity held in a ladle, dipper, shovel, bucket, etc.

9. Journalism. a news item, report, or story first revealed in one paper, magazine, newscast, etc.; beat.

10. Informal. news, information, or details, especially as obtained from experience or an immediate source.

    What's the scoop on working this machine?

11. a gathering to oneself or lifting with the arms or hands.

12. Informal. a big haul, as of money.

13. Television, Movies. a single large floodlight shaped like a flour scoop.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take up or out with or as if with a scoop.

2. to empty with a scoop.

3. to form a hollow or hollows in.

4. to form with or as if with a scoop.

5. to get the better of (other publications, newscasters, etc.) by obtaining and publishing or broadcasting a news item, report, or story first.

   They scooped all the other dailies with the story of the election fraud.

6. to gather up or to oneself or to put hastily by a sweeping motion of one's arms or hands.

   He scooped the money into his pocket.

verb (used without object)

1. to remove or gather something with or as if with a scoop.

   to scoop with a ridiculously small shovel.

scoop British  

/ skuːp /

noun

1. a utensil used as a shovel or ladle, esp a small shovel with deep sides and a short handle, used for taking up flour, corn, etc

2. a utensil with a long handle and round bowl used for dispensing liquids

3. a utensil with a round bowl and short handle, sometimes with a mechanical device to empty the bowl, for serving ice cream or mashed potato

4. anything that resembles a scoop in action, such as the bucket on a dredge

5. a spoonlike surgical instrument for scraping or extracting foreign matter, etc, from the body

6. the quantity taken up by a scoop

7. the act of scooping, dredging, etc

8. a hollow cavity

9. slang a large quick gain, as of money

10. a news story reported in one newspaper before all the others; an exclusive

11. any sensational piece of news

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verb

1. (often foll by up) to take up and remove (an object or substance) with or as if with a scoop

2. (often foll by out) to hollow out with or as if with a scoop

   to scoop a hole in a hillside

3. to win (a prize, award, or large amount of money)

4. to beat (rival newspapers) in uncovering a news item

5. sport to hit (the ball) on its underside so that it rises into the air

Other Word Forms

• outscoop verb (used with object)
• scooper noun
• scoopful noun
• underscoop noun
• unscooped adjective

Etymology

Origin of scoop

1300–50; (noun) Middle English scope < Middle Dutch schōpe; (v.) Middle English scopen, derivative of the noun

Explanation

Most people think of ice cream when they think of the noun scoop, but journalists who get a story before others also get a scoop, and dog owners need to scoop up after their dogs or else they will get a ticket for littering. When a newspaper reporter gets a scoop, it means they beat every other reporter to publish an important story. Other meanings of scoop come from the shape and motion of a scoop, which is hollowed out and looks kind of like a pocket. Also, if you pick up a little dog into your arms, you might say you scooped it up. Scoop is one of many words that can be a noun and a verb, even in the same sentence: when you go to an ice cream shop you can ask your server to give you one, two, or three scoops.

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, Indian oil refiners—now armed with a waiver from the U.S. to start buying Russian crude again—have swooped in to scoop up Moscow’s exports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

On Thursday, Bethell cracked a switch hit off Varun Chakravarthy, played a delicate reverse scoop off Hardik Pandya and, with flowing hands and flashing wrists, stroked the ball to all parts.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

He raises his right arm just in time to scoop it into his chest for a touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

He’s been known to scoop up shares before, including in 2023 when financial stocks sold off in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank’s failure.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

Mr. Brisbane followed and this time I let him scoop me up in the cap.

From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney

Related Words

• clear away
• dig
• dig out
• gouge
• lift
• pick up
• remove
• scrape