as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
a hodgepodge of scattered ideas that didn't add up to a clear hypothesis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dispersed
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
the noise of the backfiring car scattered the pigeons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sprayed
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
the hillside was scattered with boulders deposited by the last ice age
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dissipated
to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole
these drunken revelers will quickly scatter when the police arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scattered
Mery Mogollon, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
More scattered sleet, snow and ice are expected for the afternoon, before widespread precipitation is predicted to return Saturday night.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Expect scattered rain during this time.
—Ron Smiley, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Its fractured, scattered form, grasping for structure instead of pretending to master it, is an attempt to build a future that will include both author and reader.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
On Sunday, rain will pick up across the Midwest from Kansas and Missouri through Ohio and Pennsylvania while scattered thunderstorms are possible from Arkansas up to Ohio, with some possibly strong enough to bring gusty winds and maybe an isolated tornado.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Dec. 2025
Mars in Capricorn wants your expansion strategic and sustainable, not just spontaneous and scattered.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Dec. 2025
In Ohio, heavy lake-effect snow fell on large swaths of northern Ohio heading into Thanksgiving, followed by a strong midweek cold front that dropped temperatures and produced scattered snow across the state.
—Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Dec. 2025
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
There are just 59 rooms scattered among 150 acres, several pools, and a sprawling terrace restaurant; the property never feels overrun.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Returning from exile, the Roman statesman found his property vandalized; his scrolls jumbled, torn, and scattered.
—Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
According to the official logline, the story is set after the fall of the Galactic Empire, with Imperial warlords still scattered throughout the galaxy.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Every few minutes Baya would dive down to point out a foot-long sea cucumber, or a cluster of blue, black, and yellow sea stars scattered on the seabed.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
To plant one of the ANT nodes, Trevor Katz told me while walking up a slope scattered with juniper trees, does not require much.
—Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
There are an additional three bedrooms, four full baths, and two powder rooms scattered across the mansion.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
Chunks of semisweet chocolate are perfect for chocolate chip cookies or scattered in banana bread.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
His scattered family, like so many others, reflects the extraordinary exodus of almost 8 million Venezuelans — regarded as the largest-ever displacement of people in the Americas.
—Mery Mogollon, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
More scattered sleet, snow and ice are expected for the afternoon, before widespread precipitation is predicted to return Saturday night.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Expect scattered rain during this time.
—Ron Smiley, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Its fractured, scattered form, grasping for structure instead of pretending to master it, is an attempt to build a future that will include both author and reader.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
On Sunday, rain will pick up across the Midwest from Kansas and Missouri through Ohio and Pennsylvania while scattered thunderstorms are possible from Arkansas up to Ohio, with some possibly strong enough to bring gusty winds and maybe an isolated tornado.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Dec. 2025
Mars in Capricorn wants your expansion strategic and sustainable, not just spontaneous and scattered.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Dec. 2025
In Ohio, heavy lake-effect snow fell on large swaths of northern Ohio heading into Thanksgiving, followed by a strong midweek cold front that dropped temperatures and produced scattered snow across the state.
—Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
Harper and Yasmin, who’s emerged as the series’ co-lead, started out among Pierpoint’s newest hires; by the end of Season 3, the firm had been effectively dissolved, its novice traders scattered to the winds.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
There are just 59 rooms scattered among 150 acres, several pools, and a sprawling terrace restaurant; the property never feels overrun.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Returning from exile, the Roman statesman found his property vandalized; his scrolls jumbled, torn, and scattered.
—Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
According to the official logline, the story is set after the fall of the Galactic Empire, with Imperial warlords still scattered throughout the galaxy.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Every few minutes Baya would dive down to point out a foot-long sea cucumber, or a cluster of blue, black, and yellow sea stars scattered on the seabed.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
To plant one of the ANT nodes, Trevor Katz told me while walking up a slope scattered with juniper trees, does not require much.
—Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
There are an additional three bedrooms, four full baths, and two powder rooms scattered across the mansion.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
Chunks of semisweet chocolate are perfect for chocolate chip cookies or scattered in banana bread.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattered
Adjective
-
Instead, a suitcase and a random assortment of clothes disappeared along with her.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
-
PlayStation consoles rely on a type of dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, chips, which are in short supply as demand from artificial intelligence and data center operators increases.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Defense Department's trillion-dollar budget is dispersed throughout smaller agencies and funding streams that use incompatible and often antiquated computer systems to keep track of money.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The remaining students ultimately dispersed, and normal traffic conditions were restored, the police department said.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The man told officers two males entered his unlocked apartment and sprayed him with a fire extinguisher, according to police.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Wash immediately after being sprayed with the solution, and don’t get any in your eyes.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But within days, that rosiness dissipated.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
13 Feb. 2026
-
There was much excitement on Tuesday when police announced a man taken into custody for questioning, but that dissipated when he was released hours later and Guthrie still had not been located.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Judges could reason the NCAA interpreting rules to allow pros from some leagues, but not others, is hypocritical and arbitrary.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Venezuela’s opposition and human rights groups have long accused the country’s authoritarian regime of using arbitrary arrests to suppress dissent.—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with parsley.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
-
It can be sprinkled directly onto the ice to melt it, similar to the way rock salt works.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the climate shifted from wet, mangrove-like forests to more arid environments, many early herbivores struggled to adapt and eventually disappeared.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Searches continued in Allen Park, Michigan, for 25-year-old Wyandotte man, Tyler Bojanowski, who authorities say disappeared last week.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Last week, the Miami-Dade commissioner representing that area of Kendall, Raquel Regalado, filed legislation to ban the feeding of stray animals outside of businesses or in public parks but ultimately revoked it after receiving backlash.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Some days that means something small—just the water bottles, beauty products, stray cables, shoes, or underwear drawer.—
Staff Author,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattered. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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