scattering 1 of 2

noun

ˈska-tə-riŋ How to pronounce scattering (audio)
Definition of scatteringnext
1
as in dispersion
an act or process in which something scatters or is scattered the scattering of the protesters suddenly turned violent and chaotic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in handful
a small number a scattering of people in the mostly empty theater

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scattering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of scatter
1
as in dispersing
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 spraying
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 dissipating
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scattering
Noun
The old supermarket-style, functional interiors are gone, and in their place are sleek architectural details, a scattering of midcentury modern furniture and colorful LED screens broadcasting the M&S seasonal campaigns. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 13 July 2026 There was a scattering of arts and humanities people who were paying attention to AI and who generally approached the technology with an attitude of open curiosity. — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026
Verb
So much of what the product promises depends on OpenAI's software side, but the execution stumbles by scattering controls across multiple places. — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026 By the time the Peor es Nada was dispatched to the islands, government commissioners were disposing of their holdings, breaking up mission complexes and scattering neophytes. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for scattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattering
  1. dispersion
  2. handful
  3. dispersing
  4. spraying
  5. dissipating
  6. dispersal
  7. couple
  8. sprinkling
Noun
  • Yet for some thinkers today the involuntary dispersion of the Jews (galut or golah) is articulated as being inherently different from the voluntary exile of the Jews (diaspora or tfutsot).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • Investors who access emerging markets through a broad index miss the dispersion that active country allocation can capture.
    — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of dispersion
Noun
  • Once construction is over, only a handful of permanent jobs are created.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Keep going down to the little beach, where two paddleboards and a handful of beach loungers (the good kind, made of fabric and with a footrest) sit at the gentle lapping edge of the sound.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of handful
Verb
  • Birds are valuable contributors to nature’s harmony, providing essential ecological services such as eating insects, dispersing seeds, and pollinating plants.
    — Tanya Edwards, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As troopers responded to the scene, video showed vehicles rapidly dispersing as drivers and spectators rushed back to their cars, the report said.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of dispersing
Verb
  • Body camera video shows the officer spraying Ludwig at point-blank range.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Nearby, a member of my team walked into the hallway to ask what was happening just as a bullet shattered her window, spraying her office with glass.
    — Daniel Jernigan, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of spraying
Verb
  • The ruckus around Cunningham does not appear to be dissipating, in any event.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • When these four things align, effort stops dissipating and starts compounding.
    — Jeff Winters, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of dissipating
Noun
  • This raises questions about how populations became separated or whether undiscovered connections or dispersal routes exist.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • And with that the show is done, Melanie withdraws, all understand that Circle’s circle is complete—no stomping or calling for an encore—and an orderly dispersal of Cry Babies begins.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
Definition of dispersal
Noun
  • The couple was released after more than a month in immigration detention.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The new couple—who were first linked after reportedly meeting at Tribeca Film Festival—have been spotted sporadically over the last few months.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of couple
Verb
  • Trump for decades has loved gold and marble, liberally sprinkling them about his development projects and his personal spaces.
    — Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
  • In her Tinker Bell costume, Ashley seems as thirsty for a peach as Shamea is, reveling in the opportunity to tell her side of the story but obviously sprinkling her own fairy dust of exaggeration into the narrative.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of sprinkling

Browse Nearby Words

scattered
scattering
scatterings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on scattering

Nglish: Translation of scattering for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scattering

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All