strew

verb

strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün How to pronounce strew (audio) ; strewing

transitive verb

1
: to spread by scattering
2
: to cover by or as if by scattering something
strewing the highways with litter
3
: to become dispersed over as if scattered
4
: to spread abroad : disseminate

Examples of strew in a Sentence

She strewed the birdseed on the ground. sidewalks strewed with trash left by the parade watchers
Recent Examples on the Web Many left on foot, dragging children and pushing the wounded in wheelchairs on roads strewn with garbage and overflowing with sewage. Vincent Ni, NPR, 11 May 2024 The table itself was a visual feast, with colorful décor including mini piñata name tags and maracas strewn across the center. Lea Donenberg, Vogue, 6 May 2024 The bodies were strewn across different parts of the house, Knight said. Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024 Orange lights are strewn among the property’s towering trees, illuminating the nights like fireflies. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2024 And the items inside—including surviving fragments of human bones, delicate diadems, stones and pendants—were haphazardly strewn. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024 The space around her was strewn with pastel macarons, tartlets, and bonbons. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024 Arraignment possible Monday By Sunday, the hole in the wall, where the SUV smashed through, had been boarded up, but the yellow police caution tape, twisted metal siding, debris and discarded medical supplies, like blue latex gloves and bandages, were strewn about in the dirt. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024 Generally speaking, strewing herbs were strewn over the floors of houses, especially in England, during the Middle Ages. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strew.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English strewen, strowen, from Old English strewian, strēowian; akin to Old High German strewen to strew, Latin struere to heap up, sternere to spread out, Greek stornynai

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strew was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near strew

Cite this Entry

“Strew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strew. Accessed 17 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

strew

verb
strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün How to pronounce strew (audio) ; strewing
1
: to spread (as seeds) by scattering
2
: to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
strewing the highways with litter
3
: to spread around as if sowing seeds : disseminate

More from Merriam-Webster on strew

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