Meaning & use
scram
Last updated
UK/skræm/
US/skræm/
Meaning
verbintransitiveinformal
to leave a place quickly, especially when told to go away
Grammar: No object; used mainly as a command, as in 'Scram!' or 'Let's scram.'
Patterns
- scram!
- let's scram
The guard shouted at us to scram before we got caught.
Scram! You're not supposed to be in here.
We'd better scram before someone sees us.
Word forms
| third person singular | scrams |
|---|---|
| past tense | scrammed |
| past participle | scrammed |
| -ing form | scramming |
Common combinations
- tell someone to scram
- The shopkeeper told the kids to scram.
- scram out of somewhere
- We scrambled out of the building as fast as we could.
- scram before something happens
- Let's scram before the teacher comes back.
Synonyms and how they differ
- go away
- A neutral or slightly rude command to leave; scram is more informal and abrupt.
- clear off
- British informal, meaning to go away; similar in tone but more common in the UK.
- beat it
- Old-fashioned informal, also meaning to leave quickly; scram is still understood but sounds dated.
Opposites
Commonly confused: scram or scramble?
scram vs scramble
Scramble means to move quickly using your hands and feet, or to mix things up; scram simply means to leave.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'scram' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Scram' is an intransitive verb used mainly as a command meaning 'go away quickly'. Options 0, 1, and 3 use it like a transitive verb with an object, which is not correct.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “scram”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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