scamp

1 of 2

noun

ˈskamp 

1

: rascal, rogue

2

: an impish or playful young person

scampish

ˈskam-pish 

adjective

scamp

2 of 2

verb

scamped; scamping; scamps

transitive verb

: to perform or deal with in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner

Synonyms

Noun

• devil
• hellion
• imp
• mischief
• monkey
• rapscallion
• rascal
• rogue
• urchin

Examples of scamp in a Sentence

Noun

those little scamps are always getting into trouble, but no one has the heart to punish them

an insincere and ruthlessly ambitious scamp who was willing to do anything to win the reality show's grand prize

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dogs were the reigning scamps in most households and were twice as likely as cats to cause damage. —Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 9 July 2024

Because a leathery little scamp like E.T. is lovable only in the uninhibited mind of a child; fear, distrust, and paranoia are born of experience and disappointment. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 9 Nov. 2023

Verb

While its individual characters feel largely interchangeable, the movie hums with life and pleasure when Borowczyk lets his nuns twirl around the chapel in a painterly tableau and scamp through the convent. —Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021

Sunshine scamps: The Florida Project is a delighful, poignant, dark-and-light movie about kids living on the seedy side of Disney. —Rebecca Onion, Slate Magazine, 6 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

obsolete scamp to roam about idly

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1837, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

scamp

noun

ˈskamp

: rascal sense 2