skedaddle

verb

ski-ˈda-dᵊl How to pronounce skedaddle (audio)
Definition of skedaddlenext
as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening we skedaddled as soon as we saw the snake entering our campsite

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skedaddle Usually when an actor in a major role skedaddles a series in mid-stream — because of firings, feuds, contract fights, health crises or creative flameouts — the show finds a way to go on. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026 There’s good reason to skedaddle too since more than rest and mending are going on inside and out. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026 Many politicians with ambitions for higher office arrive at events, are introduced, wave, shake a few hands and skedaddled to the next block on the schedule. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2025 But not on this episode, because Abby and the gang were already skedaddling back to Seattle. — Tom Gliatto, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025 The Nazis took the bait, hook, line and sinker, and skedaddled to Sardinia, smoothing the way for the Allies to take Sicily, a major turning point in World War II. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025 The Nazis took the bait, hook, line and sinker, and skedaddled to Sardinia, smoothing the way for the Allies to take Sicily and marking a major turning point in World War II. — Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025 The sun's peeping out, and the budding journalists skedaddle outside, where their friends are just arriving. — Lauren Migaki, NPR, 22 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skedaddle
  1. flee
  2. retreat
  3. fly
  4. bolt
  5. run
  6. escape
Verb
  • Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis descended from their northern stronghold, capturing Sanaa and forcing the government to flee into exile in Saudi Arabia.
    — AHMED AL-HAJ, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The victim reported that four teenagers stole their necklace and fled the scene, according to police.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Without Carmella there as a potential wild card, the ladies arrive in Tokyo and are forced to retreat to their familiar shticks.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Kramatorsk has long served as a strategic rear point for the Ukrainian units serving along the eastern front – and as a place to which exhausted troops could retreat for a few days of rest before their next mission.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • With his ring powered up, John flies over and drops off a bag of money as restitution to the waitress Maggie (Hannah Christine Shetler) who lost her family in the Manhunter attack.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The system is designed to provide short-range protection against drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft, adding an air-defense layer alongside NMESIS’ anti-ship capability.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of fly
Verb
  • Dyson built the CameraJet around 16 million lines of code and a model trained on 470,000 dental images, bolting a camera, pump, fluid system and software onto a device people have historically cleaned with nylon bristles.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The move will bolt-on Outreach to a creators roster at The Team that includes Livvy Dunne, Taylen Biggs, Grant Horvat, The Bryan Bros, MatPat, Abby Baffoe and more.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of bolt
Verb
  • On Wednesday, the evening before they were set to dock, the mood seemed far more jovial aboard the ship; sailors were chatting and laughing, some were running a 5K around a deck now free of aircraft.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026
  • He was hired by Italy’s Agnelli family to run Fiat in 2004 when, due to previous mismanagement and the recession, few in the auto industry believed it could be saved.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of run
Verb
  • However, the abduction goes wrong, and Jeong-yo is shot in his attempt to escape.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Fasano Trancoso is an idyllic getaway for those looking to escape the madding crowds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of escape

Browse Nearby Words

skating
skedaddle
skedaddled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skedaddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skedaddle. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All