scattershot

adjective

scat·​ter·​shot ˈska-tər-ˌshät How to pronounce scattershot (audio)
Synonyms of scattershotnext
: broadly and often randomly inclusive : shotgun
scattershot advice
scattershot planning

Examples of scattershot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Amid a scattershot season that has dropped the Miami Heat to the bottom of the play-in pack stands a story at the rare intersection of played out and barely at play. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026 The team of Bob Mortimer, Aisling Bea, and Sally Phillips sang a song that playfully mocked Rosalind, but the team of Nish Kumar and Mark Watson—whose performances had been hilariously scattershot that season—delivered a sweet, self-effacing, and humorous song that took everyone by surprise. Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026 In the past decade, his more scattershot discography has similarly seemed to reflect his troubled state of mind. Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 Jacir wants to show a cross section of people’s responses to these events, but the result often feels like scattershot scenes from a longer miniseries, flitting from one character to another with little narrative thrust or cohesion. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scattershot

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scattershot was in 1951

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scattershot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scattershot. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

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