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

The child was briefly removed from the couple’s home after Ucman’s aunt found their apartment in a squalid condition, with trash, moldy food, insects and pet feces strewn throughout. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026

Who strews the gifts, who distributes Them, who carries them, what mailman. —Patricia Lockwood, The New York Review of Books, 5 Mar. 2026

Rubble and rebar were strewn across the ground at the scene of a strike early this morning on the town of Nabatyeh in southern Lebanon. —Jasmine Green, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026

The soil is red and strewn with rocks. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 25 Feb. 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