Meaning & use
scuttled
Last updated
Deliberately sank (a ship) by making holes in it, or ran hurriedly with short, quick steps.
See it in a sentence
The crew scuttled the ship rather than let it fall into enemy hands.
A frightened crab scuttled sideways across the sand.
A note on using this word
Has two unrelated senses — deliberately sinking a vessel, and moving with quick, small steps — so context is essential.
Words with a similar meaning
sinkscamper
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To abandon or ruin a plan deliberately.
Budget cuts scuttled the expansion project before it began.
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