scuttle

¹ American  

[skuht-l] / ˈskʌt l /

noun

1. Nautical.

   1. a small hatch or port in the deck, side, or bottom of a vessel.

   2. a cover for this.

2. a small hatchlike opening in a roof or ceiling.

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verb (used with object)

• scuttles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• scuttled,
  past,  past participle
• scuttling
  present participle

1. to sink (a vessel) deliberately, especially by opening seacocks or making openings in the hull.

2. to abandon, withdraw from, or cause to be abandoned or destroyed (as plans, hopes, rumors, etc.).

scuttle ² American  

[skuht-l] / ˈskʌt l /

verb (used without object)

• scuttles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• scuttled,
  past,  past participle
• scuttling
  present participle

1. to run with quick, hasty steps; scurry.

   Synonyms:

   scramble, scamper, hurry, hasten

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noun

1. a quick pace.

2. a short, hurried run.

scuttle ³ American  

[skuht-l] / ˈskʌt l /

noun

1. a deep bucket for carrying coal.

2. British Dialect. a broad, shallow basket.

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scuttle ¹ British  

/ ˈskʌtəl /

noun

1. See coal scuttle

2. dialect a shallow basket, esp for carrying vegetables

3. the part of a motor-car body lying immediately behind the bonnet

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scuttle ² British  

/ ˈskʌtəl /

verb

1. (tr) nautical to cause (a vessel) to sink by opening the seacocks or making holes in the bottom

2. (tr) to give up (hopes, plans, etc)

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noun

1. nautical a small hatch or its cover

scuttle ³ British  

/ ˈskʌtəl /

verb

1. (intr) to run or move about with short hasty steps

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noun

1. a hurried pace or run

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• scuttling
  present
• scuttled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• scuttle
  simple
• scuttles
  simple
• have scuttled
  perfect
• has scuttled
  perfect
• am scuttling
  progressive
• are scuttling
  progressive
• is scuttling
  progressive
• have been scuttling
  perfect progressive
• has been scuttling
  perfect progressive

Past

• scuttled
  simple
• had scuttled
  perfect
• was scuttling
  progressive
• were scuttling
  progressive
• had been scuttling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will scuttle
  simple
• will have scuttled
  perfect
• will be scuttling
  progressive
• will have been scuttling
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of scuttle¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; of obscure origin; perhaps from Middle French escoutille or Spanish escotilla “hatchway,” equivalent to Spanish escot(e) “a cutting of cloth” + -illa, diminutive suffix; of Germanic origin; compare Gothic skaut “hem, seam”; see also sheet ¹ ( def. ))

Origin of scuttle²

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English scottlynge “scampering” (gerund), variant of scuddle, frequentative of scud ¹

Origin of scuttle³

First recorded in before 1050; Middle English scutel(le), scuttel “dish, basket, winnowing fan,” Old English scutel “dish, trencher, platter,” from Latin scutella, diminutive of scutra “shallow dish, pan”

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Explanation

When you scuttle, you move with quick anxious steps, like a bug running for cover when a light is turned on. Use the word scuttle when you want to describe running or fast walking that’s characterized by short, hasty steps, like someone or something that tries to hurry — a person who is late for work scuttling through a crowd of slow-moving pedestrians — but can't. Scuttle has a number of other meanings. As a noun, it can refer to a container for coal or a hatch on a ship. If you scuttle a plan, you cancel or undermine it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scuttle scuttles scuttled scuttling

And what does success in these negotiations look like - a fully-formed peace deal, or just productive initial talks that don't scuttle the temporary ceasefire?

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

Mr. Trump can still scuttle the Mauritius deal under a 1966 treaty between the U.K. and U.S. that established defensive uses for the British Indian Ocean Territory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

Paramount executives have leaned into a multi-pronged strategy to scuttle the Netflix deal since December.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026

The group of Chagossians and Holloway hope their encampment will scuttle the agreement once and for all before the British Parliament rubber stamps it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026

Fallen leaves, battered and bleached, scuttle in swirls on the pavement.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Plus, China scuttles Meta’s acquisition and tech layoffs proliferate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

The accord scuttles a criminal trial that had been scheduled for June in Fort Worth, Texas.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2025

The backlash makes her a laughingstock and scuttles her career.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2025

A Minnesota blizzard scuttles my family’s stargazing plans.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 18, 2023

“Just so that we don’t end up with scuttles or bugs in the bed,” said Jinny, wrinkling her nose.

From "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder

Both also said they wanted to revive internal programs the outgoing city attorney had scuttled, such as neighborhood prosecutors and specialized units for handing child abuse and domestic violence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

The vessel was attacked by HMS Balfour in July 1944 but was scuttled by its 52 crew - all of whom survived.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

An economic downturn scuttled the plans, leaving the state landlord of homes it didn’t maintain, said Neil Steininger, former director of Alaska’s office of management and budget.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

U.S. skier Jackie Miles was preparing for the 2018 Olympics in South Korea when she crashed in Garmisch, Germany, and suffered a devastating knee injury that scuttled her trip to the Games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

Coraline’s mouth dropped open in horror and she stepped out of the way as the thing clicked and scuttled past her and out of the house, running crablike on its too-many tapping, clicking, scurrying feet.

From "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman

Videos of rats scuttling through corridors in other lycées soon hit social media, providing striking symbols of the discontent.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

After the judge forbade them from using certain PowerPoint slides, Halem’s former attorneys decided against presenting an opening statement to jurors, scuttling any possibility of a favorable outcome, Weimortz said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

And so, some still mull just scuttling the agency.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

Higher bond yields risk scuttling a stellar rally for the broader market.

From Barron's ● May 15, 2026

“The woods aren’t magic, but they still speak: the branches rasping in winter, and the rustling wind. I like the creaking leaves and the birds scuttling their wings.”

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

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Related Words

• scamper
• scurry

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