scrabble

verb scrab·ble \ ˈskra-bəl \

Examples: scrabble in a Sentence

Definition of scrabble

scrabbled; scrabbling play \ˈskra-b(ə-)liŋ\

intransitive verb

1 : scrawl, scribble

2 : to scratch, claw, or grope about clumsily or frantically

3 a : scramble, clamber

b : to struggle by or as if by scraping or scratching

scrabble for survival

transitive verb

1 : scramble

2 : scribble

—

scrabbler

play \ˈskra-b(ə-)lər\ noun

See scrabble defined for English-language learners

See scrabble defined for kids

Examples of scrabble in a Sentence

She scrabbled around in her handbag for a pen.
He scrabbled at the slippery rock.

Recent Examples of scrabble from the Web

Homer and Marge would be somewhere in their 60s, probably still scrabbling to make ends meet.

— todd vanderwerff, Vox, "The Simpsons is stuck in an eternal 1990. Its Apu controversy reflects that.," 15 Apr. 2018
Ruthie, separated from her husband, is scrabbling to keep her toehold in the middle class after being forced out of her job at a local museum by a conniving board member.

— New York Times, "4 Writers to Watch This Summer," 17 May 2018
Nollsch recalled how the sound of someone scaling the fence was followed by what sounded like a person falling into bushes, then scrabbling to get out, according to sheriff's documents.

— marjie lundstrom and sam stanton, sacbee, "Rapes and burglaries had occurred. But this was the first time the East Area Rapist killed | The Sacramento Bee," 14 May 2018
But there are many other reasons—including the race to pump undersea oil and to establish new military outposts—that have nations with Arctic coasts scrabbling, like aggressive crabs, to establish territorial rights.

— the editors, Scientific American, "Without a Treaty to Share the Arctic, Greedy Countries Will Destroy It," 1 Dec. 2017
This was enough for Harry Redknapp to roll down the window and scrabble around in his car’s filthy ashtray for some loose change.

— SI.com, "Pascal Chimbonda & 24 Other Classic Premier League Players You’d Forgotten: No. 5 - Nigel Reo-Coker," 26 Apr. 2018
Philip Howard Sauer and four fellow Marines began to scrabble toward the crest of Hill 861.

— carl prine, sandiegouniontribune.com, "His valor forgotten for a half-century, Marine killed in action to receive battlefield award," 23 Apr. 2018
The series’ first season scrabbled around looking for a point for too long, before zeroing in on some ideas about the nature of consciousness.

— todd vanderwerff, Vox, "Westworld season 2 takes cues from The Walking Dead — and it kinda, sorta works," 18 Apr. 2018
Six robots at a time would square off in the arena, scrabbling at yellow milk crates and trying to lift them onto a 6-foot teeter totter.

— matthew ormseth, courant.com, "Bot Battle Royale: Robotics Teams Square Off At Hartford Public," 8 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scrabble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of scrabble

Dutch schrabbelen to scratch

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1537

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

scrabble Synonyms

Synonyms

feel, fish, fumble, grope;

Related Words

grabble;

cast about, hunt, look, reach, seek (out);

capture, clutch, corral, get, grab, nab, nail, seize, snatch;

comb, dig (through), dredge, rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour;

scrabble

noun

Definition of scrabble

1 : scramble

2 : scribble

3 : a repeated scratching or clawing

Examples of scrabble in a Sentence

it'll be a long scrabble to pull ourselves out of poverty

Recent Examples of scrabble from the Web

Here is the scrabble of historical experience before history has laid down its narrative paths.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Walter Kempowski’s Epic Novel of Germany in Collapse," 21 Mar. 2016
Then there was the scrabble of a key at a lock, and the other door, the one facing him, that led to the free world, opened.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "A prisoner is given a deal he can’t refuse in an excerpt from S.J. Morden’s sci-fi novel One Way," 25 Mar. 2018
Mémère loved family gatherings and was ready anytime for a game of scrabble, cards, the challenge of a good puzzle or a computer game.

— courant.com, "Rita R. Dulude," 5 Mar. 2018
Spoelstra masks this small flaw by getting his group to outwork teams in scrabbles for loose balls.

— karl bullock, SI.com, "The Case for Coach of the Year: Erik Spoelstra," 1 Feb. 2018
Each photo is a miniature stage play: a boy wraps himself in a rope, like a noose or a bandolier; girls in finery scrabble for candy; refugee children solemnly display their toys.

— david campany, The New Yorker, "Mark Neville’s Immersive Photo Experiment," 22 May 2017
Scrabble for adults Mondays 6 p.m., John Marshall Library, 4133 Rectortown Rd.

— Washington Post, "Community events in Fauquier County," 30 May 2017
The recurrent motif is Scrabble: the Commander enlists Offred in a secret game.

— emily nussbaum, The New Yorker, "A Cunning Adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale”," 22 May 2017

First Known Use of scrabble

1794

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

scrabble Synonyms

Synonyms

battle, fight, fray, struggle, throes;

drudgery, grind, sweat, toil, travail;

combat, conflict, contest, strife, tussle, war, warfare;

attempt, endeavor, essay, try;

SCRABBLE Defined for English Language Learners

scrabble

verb

Definition of scrabble for English Language Learners

: to move the hands or feet in an awkward and hurried way in order to find or do something

Learn More about scrabble

See words that rhyme with scrabble Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for scrabble Spanish Central: Translation of scrabble Nglish: Translation of scrabble for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of scrabble for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scrabble

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scrabble

Definition of scrabble

scrabbler

Examples of scrabble in a Sentence

Recent Examples of scrabble from the Web

Origin and Etymology of scrabble

scrabble Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

scrabble

Definition of scrabble

Examples of scrabble in a Sentence

Recent Examples of scrabble from the Web

First Known Use of scrabble

scrabble Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

SCRABBLE Defined for English Language Learners

scrabble

Definition of scrabble for English Language Learners

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