as in to depart
to leave a place often for another
I went looking for Sally at the pub, but she'd scarpered
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Recent Examples of scarper
Taylor Tomlinson will host After Midnight, the show that is replacing The Late Late Show now that James Corden has scarpered off to old Blighty.
—
Vulture, 1 Nov. 2023
Idrissa Gueye has scarpered, but that void was instantly filled by Mainz midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin - while Moise Kean, goodness knows how, has signed from Juventus to sharpen things up front.
—SI.com, 5 Aug. 2019
Ms Collett compares it to the muggy period before a thunderstorm, when the squirrels have scarpered and the air is pregnant with foreboding of trouble ahead.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
Vulture, 1 Nov. 2023
Idrissa Gueye has scarpered, but that void was instantly filled by Mainz midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin - while Moise Kean, goodness knows how, has signed from Juventus to sharpen things up front.
—SI.com, 5 Aug. 2019
Ms Collett compares it to the muggy period before a thunderstorm, when the squirrels have scarpered and the air is pregnant with foreboding of trouble ahead.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarper
Verb
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According to the international policy group, humanitarian aid shipments departing India that would typically follow the coast of the Arabian Peninsula to Sudan are instead being forced to go around the Cape of Good Hope, through the Mediterranean Sea and enter the Red Sea by way of the Suez Canal.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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As the king departs, whether his message will stick is another matter — Trump will be back dealing with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose own position is looking more imperiled than ever.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But earlier this week, the American star exited the Madrid Open well before the final, falling short in her bid for another tournament victory.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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According to investigators, a family member was repositioning a vehicle closer to the house because of incoming weather when the child exited the home unnoticed and moved into a blind spot near the vehicle.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He was instructed to respond by moving his eyes from left to right, and sure enough, the researchers counted two rightward movements of his eyes.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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Mercury moves through your 1st House of Identity, sharpening your voice and making your words more direct than usual.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead, the 2026 draft saw a running back go third, a middle linebacker go seventh, and nine offensive linemen gone by the end of the first round.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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There’s a lot that goes (on) behind the scene as a manager.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Five hours before the puck dropped, the get-in price was $239 for a ticket in the top row of the arena.—
Todd Harmonson,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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Both Ponds and Glenn were undersized cornerbacks who both love to get physical.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scarper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarper. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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