verb

scoot

skoot

verb

To move quickly, especially to leave in a hurry.

"I need to scoot — my meeting starts in five minutes."

"The cat scooted under the sofa when the doorbell rang."

To slide over slightly, usually while seated, to make room.

"Scoot down so your sister can sit next to you."

How to Use Scoot

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo move fast or slide over — used both for a quick exit and for shuffling sideways.

Easily confused with

scooch →

Common pairings

scoot over scoot along time to scoot

Word Forms

scooted past tense, scooted past tense, scooted past tense, scoots plural, scoots plural, scoots plural, scoots singular, scoots singular, scoots singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “scoot” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

I need to _____ — my meeting starts in five minutes.

Etymology

Origin uncertain; possibly from Old Norse skjóta, "to shoot," or related to older English words for scampering quickly.

Rhymes for scoot

oot foot boot root moot loot coot hoot toot soot doot zoot

See all rhymes for scoot →