often attributive
1
scraps plural
: fragments of discarded or leftover food
2
a
: a small detached piece
a scrap of paper
b
: a fragment of something written, printed, or spoken
scraps of conversation
c
: the least bit
not a scrap of evidence
3
4
a
: fragments of stock removed in manufacturing
b
: manufactured articles or parts rejected or discarded and useful only as material for reprocessing
especially
: waste and discarded metal
scrapped; scrapping
1
: to convert into scrap
2
: to abandon or get rid of as no longer of enough worth or effectiveness to retain
scrap outworn methods
Examples of scrap in a Sentence
Noun (1)
only a scrap of silk was left on the sewing table after they had finished the project
a scrap of paper fluttered to the floor
brushed away a scrap of lint
the rest of this stuff is just scrap, so sweep it up and throw it away
Verb (1)
we've decided to scrap the second car
we scrapped our plans to go to Paris, and set out the next day for Prague
Noun (2)
the state legislature's annual scrap over the budget
several drunken revelers were involved in a scrap outside of the nightclub
Verb (2)
the young couple often scrapped about money and their very disparate spending habits
Recent Examples on the Web
Thom Harris, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Bottles, glass ornaments, scraps of lace and strings of lights hang from branches on the ceiling, while upstage, a cave-like wall frames a round piece of fabric that sometimes evokes a pond and also becomes a scrim for silhouetted scenes.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Thom Harris, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The vote delay comes after Johnson had already twice postponed a vote on extending FISA amid the GOP divisions, including back in March, when Johnson had to scrap plans to hold a vote on the FISA extension and reschedule it for a mid-April vote.
—Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrap
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.
Noun
Nerves come into play, desperation takes hold, and, for the players, reputations are there to be made as title chases and relegation scraps enter their most crucial stretch.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Bottles, glass ornaments, scraps of lace and strings of lights hang from branches on the ceiling, while upstage, a cave-like wall frames a round piece of fabric that sometimes evokes a pond and also becomes a scrim for silhouetted scenes.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
His approach to the game is unashamedly intense, launching himself at crosses and scrapping with centre-halves.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The vote delay comes after Johnson had already twice postponed a vote on extending FISA amid the GOP divisions, including back in March, when Johnson had to scrap plans to hold a vote on the FISA extension and reschedule it for a mid-April vote.
—Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrap
Cite this Entry
“Scrap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrap. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scrap
2 of 4 verb
scrapped; scrapping
1
: to break up into scrap
2
: to discard as worthless
scrap
3 of 4 nounEtymology
Noun
Middle English scrap "discarded bits of food"; of Norse origin
Noun
origin unknown
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
