skittered; skittering; skitters
1
a
: to glide or skip lightly or quickly
b
: to move in or as in a jittery or jerky way
leaves skittering over the sidewalk
2
: to twitch the hook of a fishing line through or along the surface of water
: to cause to skitter
Examples of skitter in a Sentence
Dry leaves skittered over the sidewalk.
Mice skittered across the floor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Gu skittered off the first rail and toppled to her side, dashing her title hopes.
—
Joseph Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
The two tuxedo cats skittered uneasily away from her, afraid of what kind of chaos this toddling creature would bring into their lives.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 7 Feb. 2026
Smaller critters — hermit crabs, lightning whelks and snails — skittered along the seafloor.
—Max Chesnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Ahead of me, five more disembodied beams skittered across the snow, each emitting from the skiers ahead of me.
—Tim Neville, Travel + Leisure, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skitter
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Joseph Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
The two tuxedo cats skittered uneasily away from her, afraid of what kind of chaos this toddling creature would bring into their lives.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 7 Feb. 2026
Smaller critters — hermit crabs, lightning whelks and snails — skittered along the seafloor.
—Max Chesnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Ahead of me, five more disembodied beams skittered across the snow, each emitting from the skiers ahead of me.
—Tim Neville, Travel + Leisure, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skitter
Cite this Entry
“Skitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skitter. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
skitter
verb
skit·ter
ˈskit-ər 
: to glide or skip lightly or quickly : skim along a surface
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