scurry
Americanverb (used without object)
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scurries,
present (3rd person singular)
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scurried,
past participle, past
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scurrying
present participle
verb (used with object)
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scurries,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scurried,
past participle, past
-
scurrying
present participle
noun
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scurries
plural
-
a scurrying rush.
the scurry of little feet on the stairs.
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a short run or race.
verb
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to move about or proceed hurriedly
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(intr) to whirl about
noun
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the act or sound of scurrying
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a brisk light whirling movement, as of snow
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horse racing a short race or sprint
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scurrysimple
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scurriessimple
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have scurriedperfect
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has scurriedperfect
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am scurryingprogressive
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are scurryingprogressive
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is scurryingprogressive
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have been scurryingperfect progressive
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has been scurryingperfect progressive
Past
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scurriedsimple
-
had scurriedperfect
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was scurryingprogressive
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were scurryingprogressive
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had been scurryingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scurry
First recorded in 1800–10; extracted from hurry-scurry
Explanation
Scurry means to move quickly, at a frenzied pace, and often also implies the urge to hide. When you come upon a mouse in your house, chances are it will scurry away. Think of scurry this way — anytime you describe someone as scurrying, you're comparing them to a mouse. When you say troops scurried back behind their defensive lines, you're insulting them. When you say children scurry around searching for eggs during an Easter egg hunt, you think they're cute.
Vocabulary lists containing scurry
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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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:
Or the opportunity to introduce him to some innocent bystander so they can scurry away.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Once one side has been effectively tagged with responsibility, they’ll scurry for a way out.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2025
Some jolted forwards while others tried to scurry past the throngs of cameras and media equipment to grab one of the lucky yellow badges - their key to enter the court.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2024
How quickly or slowly can the chyrons listing adverse reactions scurry across your screen?
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2024
Many of the Collective scurry off after eating.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
But despite this convincing show, Romy is merely faking it, a detail we learn moments later when she scurries off to the privacy of her office.
From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2024
After exchanging words with a curiously hostile waiter, the Collector scurries down a shadowy Chandleresque mean street before taking a fatal turn into a nightmarish alley.
From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2024
When the pedestrian signal flashes a red hand, the squad bursts into laughter and scurries to the sidewalk.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2023
A woman who, on the rare occasions she is seen, scurries to the shops and hurries straight back.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2022
She nods and scurries off to the bedroom to get her hat.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Jacob Bethell made an entertaining 55 and Brook a well-placed 53 for England, but Nepal's batting was on a par as they swept and scurried.
From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2026
Greenlandic staff scurried briskly into the building, looking ashamed to be working for America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026
Trilobites scurried across the seafloor among dense clusters of shelled mollusks.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 11, 2026
After half an hour, Ireland struck again as Ulster flanker Nick Timoney shrugged off a tackle and scurried through for the second try.
From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2025
Sidana scurried over to his unconscious, toothless friend.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
“Speed running” is a video game term referring to players who try to complete games as quickly as possible, scurrying around hazards and taking shortcuts to skip through levels.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026
Many state price caps sent insurers scurrying away, especially in coastal and flood prone areas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026
Flames and smoke erupted from a luxury hotel on Dubai's Palm, the landmark, palm tree-shaped development of land reclaimed from the sea, after a loud bang sent passers-by scurrying for cover.
From Barron's ● Feb. 28, 2026
With Bielle-Biarrey having sent Ireland nervously scurrying back towards their line, Charles Ollivon knocked the ball on and let the men in green off the hook.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026
Now she opened her eyes and saw a spider scurrying down the wall.
From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech
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.
