scrounge

verb

ˈskrau̇nj 

scrounged; scrounging

transitive verb

1

: steal, swipe

2

a

: to get as needed by or as if by foraging, scavenging, or borrowing

scrounging enough money for a bus ticket

b

: finagle, wheedle

—often used with up

intransitive verb

: to search about and turn up something needed from whatever source is available

also : to actively seek money, work, or sustenance from any available source

scrounger noun

Synonyms

• eke (out)
• scrape (up or together)
• squeeze
• wrest
• wring

Examples of scrounge in a Sentence

I managed to scrounge enough money for a bus ticket.

He's always scrounging off his friends instead of paying for things himself.

We scrounged around for firewood.

We managed to scrounge some firewood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those still in the dark were scrounging for ice – a commodity hard to come by – to salvage the food in their refrigerators. —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2024

After that, some have found transportation to other cities, scrounged for a place to sleep or wandered into nearby towns like Aurora. —Bianca Vazquez Toness, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024

On Monday, about three days after Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 storm, survivors in North Carolina were scrounging for food and clean water and shuffling from shelter to shelter. —Melissa Chan, NBC News, 1 Oct. 2024

Over time, Worthy scrounged together money to start addressing the backlog, even seeking private donations as small as $5. —Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of English dialect scrunge to wander about idly

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

scrounge

verb

ˈskrau̇nj 

scrounged; scrounging

1

: to collect by or as if by rummaging

scrounge around for firewood

2

: to get by coaxing or persuading

scrounge a dollar from a friend

scrounger noun