What does skedaddling mean?
Skedaddling means running away or leaving quickly, usually with a sense of haste, panic, or comic urgency. It describes an abrupt departure rather than an ordinary walk or a purposeful journey. The word often appears in playful contexts, as when a group flees a tedious meeting or someone rushes away from an unexpected problem. Its slightly old-fashioned, comic tone distinguishes it from more neutral words such as “leaving” or “running,” while expressions such as “skedaddle off” and “skedaddle away” reinforce the impression of hurried escape. Although the form is most often encountered as the present participle of “skedaddle,” it can also be used as a gerund: “They were skedaddling before the storm arrived.” The word is understood in British and American English, with some variation in pronunciation.
Fleeing or running away quickly, especially in panic or with comic urgency.
"The suspect was last seen skedaddling through the market."
This form normally follows an auxiliary verb or serves as the subject of a sentence: “They were skedaddling toward the exit.”
The act of fleeing or departing hurriedly.
"Their skedaddling after the announcement amused the crowd."
The nominal use is somewhat less common than the participial use and often retains a humorous or disparaging tone.
Skedaddling suggests not merely leaving, but making a hasty and often amusingly panicked escape.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does skedaddling come from?
The exact origin of “skedaddle” is uncertain, although the word was already in use by the late eighteenth century. Its development appears to have involved playful changes in sound rather than a clearly traceable borrowing from another language. The modern form belongs to a family of comic and expressive verbs describing hurried movement, but no secure group of directly related cognates can be confidently identified.
Related word forms
How skedaddling is actually used
Informal and often humorous or mildly disparaging; it is especially effective when someone departs hurriedly or under pressure.