scoot
Americanverb (used without object)
-
scoots,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scooted,
past participle, past
-
scooting
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
scoots,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scooted,
past participle, past
-
scooting
present participle
noun
verb
-
to go or cause to go quickly or hastily; dart or cause to dart off or away
-
to squirt
noun
-
the act of scooting
-
a squirt
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
scootsimple
-
scootssimple
-
have scootedperfect
-
has scootedperfect
-
am scootingprogressive
-
are scootingprogressive
-
is scootingprogressive
-
have been scootingperfect progressive
-
has been scootingperfect progressive
Past
-
scootedsimple
-
had scootedperfect
-
was scootingprogressive
-
were scootingprogressive
-
had been scootingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scoot
1750–60; probably < Old Norse skota to push or skjōta to shoot 1
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.
See Examples For:
He should have used the nearby crosswalk, but there aren’t enough of those on the boulevard, so pedestrians routinely skitter and scoot across the street like they’re in a game of Frogger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
Though there’s something a little peculiar, in an age of digital verisimilitude, about watching a big-budget movie character scoot around like a Muppet, Favreau was adamant about showcasing the handiwork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Two balls into a new spell, Bumrah got one to scoot into off stump, leaving Stokes to drop his bat and throw out his hands in frustration.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2024
Before the chair, Jack said her son was able to scoot on the floor to get where he needed to go but the chair offers a whole new level of independence.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2023
I scoot away from him, but no, that puts me closer to Malik.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
Andre Esterhuizen scoots down the lefthand touchline, just staying in play, and then delays his pass just enough for Will Porter to hare over the whitewash.
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2024
Then Villalobos scoots behind two desk chairs and runs out the courtroom door.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 10, 2023
She scoots along the floor, as if afloat, paddling with her hands, and she clings to the theater’s walls, as if buffeted by the wind.
From New York Times ● Mar. 5, 2023
Cindy scoots by me to make her entrance and with a glorious grin, says: "Show's cookin'!".
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2023
When Theresa hears this, she scoots up the hill with Rocky.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
And he didn’t take it Sunday night in Santa Clara, after his Seahawks scooted away from a helpless New England Patriots team in a one-sided 29-13 win.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
And I scooted back to the Times and passed the story on to the national desk.”
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2025
Shaquille O’Neal drops a bomb on Jimmy Fallon, copping to the truth about the viral moment where he scooted off the ‘Inside the NBA’ set for a bathroom break.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2025
He scooted over to score in the corner.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2024
Before I could think of what to say, Mama picked up florist wire, kitchen shears, and a bucket of pink tea roses and scooted past me.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Plus, there are other signs that investors are excited—and aren’t scooting away from riskier assets like options and chip stocks.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
He said the robots in an adjacent lane were really scooting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
One broadcaster from Norway, amid peals of laughter, described the chief ice technician as "scooting" down the sheet.
From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026
The latter tension was explored in a Netflix documentary—Alcaraz scooting off to Ibiza after winning the 2024 French Open instead of grinding for Wimbledon grass as his coach hoped.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
“Ow!” said Pong, scooting away, “You know, between the two of us, you’ve actually got the bigger mouth.”
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
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.
