strew

verb

ˈstrü 

strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün  ; strewing

transitive verb

1

: to spread by scattering

2

: to cover by or as if by scattering something

strewing the highways with litter

3

: to become dispersed over as if scattered

4

: to spread abroad : disseminate

Synonyms of strew

• spray
• sprinkle
• dot
• pepper

Examples of strew in a Sentence

She strewed the birdseed on the ground.

sidewalks strewed with trash left by the parade watchers

Recent Examples on the Web

Just around the corner, strong gusts tore shingles from a home, leaving them strewn across the yard. —Abby Dodge, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

Some overlooked a sliver of a private garden strewn with stones and moss. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026

Ancient lava fields can be seen as dark lunar maria marring the silvery lunar surface, which themselves are threaded with bright streaks of reflective debris strewn across the surface by violent asteroid strikes. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026

And in another gruesome moment, there is a frightening shot of dozens of wedding guests covered in blood, with bodies strewn across a banquet hall. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English strewen, strowen, from Old English strewian, strēowian; akin to Old High German strewen to strew, Latin struere to heap up, sternere to spread out, Greek stornynai

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for strew

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

strew

verb

ˈstrü 

strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün  ; strewing

1

: to spread (as seeds) by scattering

2

: to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on

strewing the highways with litter

3

: to spread around as if sowing seeds : disseminate