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

There was a blue shirt strewn over a rock near the front entrance. —Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026

Several cars were completely wrecked, with parts visibly strewn along the road as hundreds of vehicles were seemingly stuck in traffic near the collision site. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026

Her belongings were strewn around her. —Audrey Abrahams, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026

Storage Ottomans The living room can get cluttered quickly, so an ottoman is a great way to discreetly organize blankets, pillows, toys, or other items strewn around the room. —Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 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