strew

verb

strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün How to pronounce strew (audio) ; 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

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 Once a hubbub of screaming floor brokers and countless sheets of paper strewn on the ground, much of the trading is now electronic in NYSE’s hybrid market. Krystal Hur, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 Broken glass is strewn across the tile floor in the entryway. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Subtly strewed aluminum casts of leaves, roots and even anchovies lie on the floor, or else on tatami mats sheathed in sheets of pale silicone. Martha Schwendener, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Pieces of the home, including its roof, were strewn about the street by daylight. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 Cooper said the couple returned to the area Tuesday to see the aftermath and found knives, vape pens, scales, and other debris strewn about. Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 Dave Musgrove driving along a main roadway in Englewood, about 50 miles north of Fort Myers, when a bright flash suddenly appears in the distance followed by a mangled motorcycle strewn in the middle of the roadway. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2024 Multiple staterooms hosted parties, and entertaining decorations were strewn throughout. Kathleen Bruce, SPIN, 12 Feb. 2024 Around the school the sidewalks are strewn with garbage, empty liquor bottles and even discarded syringes. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strew.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of strew was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near strew

Cite this Entry

“Strew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strew. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

strew

verb
strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün How to pronounce strew (audio) ; 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

More from Merriam-Webster on strew

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