as in handfuls
a small number
played before only a scatter of spectators in that huge stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disperses
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 sprays
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 dissipates
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 scatters
Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
The Problem of Bureaucracy in Scaling Enterprises Business expansion scatters work across codebases, project management tools, chat platforms, and docs.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
Their innovation, called retina E-paper, uses nanoparticles to control how light scatters, achieving lifelike color reproduction that can be tuned electrically.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Weed scatters and falls between the wood slats.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
This process — called Rayleigh scattering — scatters shorter-wavelength blue light and bends longer-wavelength red light toward the moon.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Everyone scatters — Zoë, Dinah, and Sarah are okay, while Malik is more compromised.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Here, laser light is shone onto body tissues and the unique pattern of light that scatters back is analyzed, similar to how different materials reflect light in distinctive ways.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025
Before everyone scatters, Haley and Alex pull one last prank on Luke.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025
Tech companies are really just groups of talented people working toward a common goal, and a company’s failure usefully scatters them.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Stargazers will likely see the moon take on a yellow-orange hue during moonrise, as Earth's atmosphere scatters the shorter, bluer wavelengths of moonlight, while allowing the longer, redder wavelengths to journey through relatively unhindered.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The moon appeared reddish due to the total lunar eclipse, which scatters sunflight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
Even a hit isn’t clean—some materials are highly reflective, meaning laser energy bounces off the drone and scatters, potentially causing blinding.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
The Problem of Bureaucracy in Scaling Enterprises Business expansion scatters work across codebases, project management tools, chat platforms, and docs.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
Their innovation, called retina E-paper, uses nanoparticles to control how light scatters, achieving lifelike color reproduction that can be tuned electrically.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Weed scatters and falls between the wood slats.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
This coloring occurs because deep, compact ice absorbs light’s longer wavelengths—like reds and yellows—and scatters shorter blue wavelengths back toward our eyes.
—Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
This process — called Rayleigh scattering — scatters shorter-wavelength blue light and bends longer-wavelength red light toward the moon.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Everyone scatters — Zoë, Dinah, and Sarah are okay, while Malik is more compromised.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Here, laser light is shone onto body tissues and the unique pattern of light that scatters back is analyzed, similar to how different materials reflect light in distinctive ways.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025
Before everyone scatters, Haley and Alex pull one last prank on Luke.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025
Tech companies are really just groups of talented people working toward a common goal, and a company’s failure usefully scatters them.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Stargazers will likely see the moon take on a yellow-orange hue during moonrise, as Earth's atmosphere scatters the shorter, bluer wavelengths of moonlight, while allowing the longer, redder wavelengths to journey through relatively unhindered.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The moon appeared reddish due to the total lunar eclipse, which scatters sunflight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scatters
Noun
-
Sprinkle a few handfuls of wood ashes around your hydrangea in early spring and water it in.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Drop handfuls evenly over the top of the compost pile, moisten with water, and mix it in with a rake or shovel.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Its version is shaped by federalism, polarization, and a constitutional system that disperses authority.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
-
In a video posted on the organization’s site, which was verified by NBC News, a crowd disperses quickly as multiple gunshots ring out and a handful of men return to pick up a man bleeding from a head wound.—
Henry Austin,
NBC news,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trapped in a prickly relationship with a cactus, his life changes overnight when Swift sprays herself with Opalite and is magically transported into his living room.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Tired of the constant cuts, Gleeson orders Opalite and sprays his cactus, causing Swift to magically appear in his house.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The mist dissipates around a room instead of spewing out like a wet stream, which keeps Alpert worry-free about ruining her wooden bed frame.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This is because its shell dissipates mechanical energy and tolerates nanoparticle inclusion in ways that synthetic materials seek to emulate for aerospace, armor and protective coating applications.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Not many middle-aged couples on TV argue about whether oral sex while driving is a wise move.—
Sarah Hepola,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
For those unhealthily aware of the social-media dynamics between couples, there are countless possibilities of what could’ve happened.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Much like Knives Out, the movie takes a much more lighthearted approach and sprinkles humor throughout.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
15 Dec. 2025
-
The shareable treat features Galactic Brownie ice cream, fudge drizzle, M&Ms candies, and Halloween sprinkles atop a double fudge brownie crust.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The plant goes dormant and foliage disappears by late spring to summer.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Once everyone figures it out, the advantage disappears.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Barnett dots up Knight for a 57-yard catch-and-run.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Rather than the stiff alien chitchat that dots his own screenplays, the characters in The Favourite trade the witty, venomous bon mots of The Great creator Tony McNamara.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scatters. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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