scrawl

play

verb \ ˈskrȯl \

Definition of scrawl

transitive verb

:to write or draw awkwardly, hastily, or carelessly

scrawled his name

intransitive verb

:to write awkwardly or carelessly

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scrawl

noun

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scrawler

noun

—

scrawly

play \ˈskrȯ-lē\ adjective

See scrawl defined for English-language learners

See scrawl defined for kids

Examples of scrawl in a Sentence

She scrawled her signature on the receipt.
scrawled a quick note, stuck it in their mailbox, and hurried off

Recent Examples of scrawl from the Web

Bryant, 38, asked prison guards for medical attention for three days, scrawling his pleas on scraps of paper.

— david gambacorta, Philly.com, "Dead bodies and billions in tax dollars: The secret, profitable world of private prisons," 17 Aug. 2017
The next morning, someone had scrawled CHOOSE NATURE OVER SIN on all of them.

— jennie melamed, Teen Vogue, "What It’s Like to Have Your Dad Come Out as Gay," 25 July 2017
Martinez knelt and scrawled Fernandez’s No. 16 in the dirt on the mound before throwing the first pitch of the third inning.

— craig davis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Robinson Cano's homer in the 10th lifts American League to All-Star Game win," 12 July 2017
The message was scrawled across the front of the Mastagni Holstedt law firm in red paint, visible to drivers and pedestrians walking in the 1900 block of I Street, where the office is located.

— nashelly chavez, sacbee, "Anti-cop graffiti found at Sacramento law firm that defends police officers," 12 July 2017
Manson and his followers scrawled messages across the walls with the victims' blood.

— travis m. andrews ·, courant.com, "Quentin Tarantino's Next Movie Will Reportedly Focus On The Charles Manson Murders," 12 July 2017
The festivities surrounding the race look a lot like Burning Man; there are amps and gas flames and the word MAYHEM scrawled large.

— sarah marshall, New Republic, "Blood Drive Misses Out on Everything Good About Gore," 23 June 2017
The signatures on the work permit and Social Security card looked as if they had been scrawled by a second grader.

— Longreads, "A Portrait of the Artist as an Undocumented Immigrant," 21 June 2017
A racist message aimed at African-American students and district employees, using the N-word, was scrawled on a Castro Valley High School student’s locker and several nearby building pillars June 1.

— darin moriki, The Mercury News, "Racist graffiti prompts Castro Valley schools to take action," 14 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of scrawl

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1612

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scrawl Synonyms

Synonyms

scratch, scribble, squiggle

Related Words

doodle; jot (down); ink, inscribe, letter, pen, pencil, print, write

SCRAWL Defined for English Language Learners

scrawl

play

verb

Definition of scrawl for English Language Learners

: to write or draw (something) very quickly or carelessly

SCRAWL Defined for Kids

scrawl

play

verb \ ˈskrȯl \

Definition of scrawl for Students

scrawled; scrawling

:to write quickly and carelessly

scrawl

noun

Definition of scrawl for Students

:something written carelessly or without skill His signature is just a scrawl.

Learn More about scrawl

See words that rhyme with scrawl Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for scrawl Spanish Central: Translation of scrawl Nglish: Translation of scrawl for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of scrawl for Arabic speakers

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scrawl

Definition of scrawl

scrawl

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scrawly

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Examples of scrawl in a Sentence

Recent Examples of scrawl from the Web

Origin and Etymology of scrawl

scrawl Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

SCRAWL Defined for English Language Learners

scrawl

Definition of scrawl for English Language Learners

SCRAWL Defined for Kids

scrawl

Definition of scrawl for Students

scrawl

Definition of scrawl for Students

Learn More about scrawl

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