scribble

1 of 2

verb

scrib·​ble ˈskri-bəl How to pronounce scribble (audio)
scribbled; scribbling ˈskri-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce scribble (audio) ; scribbles

transitive + intransitive

1
: to write or draw hastily or carelessly
a note scribbled on the back of an envelope
Harriet scribbled in her notebook as soon as she took her seat.Louise Fitzhugh
He took a stump of lead pencil out of his pocket and scribbled a moustache on the lion's upper lip and then a pair of spectacles on its eyes.C. S. Lewis
2
: to fill or cover something with careless or worthless writings or drawings
a scribbled envelope
… papers … scribbled over with clues …English Digest

scribble

2 of 2

noun

plural scribbles
: a piece of writing or a drawing that is done quickly or carelessly
She could barely make out the doctor's scribble.
a page covered with random scribbles
… he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Harry could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid.J. K. Rowling

Examples of scribble in a Sentence

Verb She scribbled a note to him and then dashed off to her meeting. He scribbled down his phone number. Students scribbled furiously as the professor lectured. She was scribbling away in a notebook. The toddler scribbled all over the paper.
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.
Verb
Due to the technology restrictions, journalists furiously scribbled notes for six to eight hours a day, sporadically darting out of the courtroom to dictate the latest news to their editors. Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 3 July 2025 Having lived in Paris with Richardson on and off since late 1921, Hemingway was a struggling writer who could be spotted scribbling in Left Bank cafés—a tall, lanky Midwesterner with unkempt hair, wearing sneakers, old trousers and a patched jacket. Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
Noun
No more scribbles in the margins or lookups that kill gameplay momentum. Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 But like many aspiring authors shy about their talent, Agathe only scribbles in her spare time and refuses to let anyone read her work. Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for scribble

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English scriblen, from Medieval Latin scribillare, from Latin scribere to write

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scribble was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scribble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scribble. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

scribble

verb
scrib·​ble ˈskrib-əl How to pronounce scribble (audio)
scribbled; scribbling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce scribble (audio)
: to write or draw hastily or carelessly
scribble noun
scribbler
ˈskrib-(ə-)lər
noun
Etymology

Verb

Middle English scriblen "to write hurriedly or carelessly," from Latin scribillare (same meaning), from earlier scribere "to write" — related to scribe

More from Merriam-Webster on scribble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!