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 of scrounge

• earn

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

But the problem has been the opposite, and CPW has instead scrounged to find other sources of money to pay the claims. —Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2026

Oregon didn’t have to scrounge up game film of San Diego State forward Pharaoh Compton. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026

Academic journals struggled to put out issues, stifled by high printing costs and staff layoffs, scrounging for enough articles to fill their pages and paying subscribers to read them. —Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

Jane borrowed from friends and scrounged to hire a lawyer in Connecticut. —Alina Selyukh, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for scrounge

• lounge

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