as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
a hodgepodge of scattered ideas that didn't add up to a clear hypothesis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dispersed
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
the noise of the backfiring car scattered the pigeons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sprayed
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
the hillside was scattered with boulders deposited by the last ice age
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dissipated
to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole
these drunken revelers will quickly scatter when the police arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scattered
Jacqueline Kehoe, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
Michigan residents are in for another seasonable week, with cooler temperatures and scattered rain, according to the National Weather Service.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 13 Oct. 2025
By comparison, campaign two felt more scattered and improvisational (befitting a D&D game).
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
The threat for heavy rain in South Florida is diminishing, however typical scattered thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours are still possible in the area through the weekend.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2025
The result was a mile-long line that turned scattered craftwork into synchronized production.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
More likely, a supernova occurs inside a galaxy loaded with numerous, scattered clouds of gas and dust.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Fatu was shown laid out, bleeding from the mouth, with what appeared to be teeth scattered on the floor nearby.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
In the first season together, the brand garnered about 20 wholesale accounts globally, which have grown since to 45 doors scattered across Europe — with Spain and Italy being the strongest markets — as well as Asia with stockists in China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
Losses are scattered across thousands of small purchases, often unnoticed until patterns emerge.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Police entered the home on a welfare check and noticed blood smeared on the walls and furniture scattered across the living room.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
And a plastic family who lie scattered across the floor, still blank-faced and smiling.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Crews found the car heavily damaged with debris scattered throughout the intersection, the department said.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
But before last year, heritage vehicles were scattered across the globe with no centralized organization.
—Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The core loop spans 18 miles with 4,500 feet of elevation gain, winding from Colchuck Lake’s turquoise waters to the Upper Enchantment Basin’s moonscape of polished granite and scattered tarns.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
Michigan residents are in for another seasonable week, with cooler temperatures and scattered rain, according to the National Weather Service.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 13 Oct. 2025
By comparison, campaign two felt more scattered and improvisational (befitting a D&D game).
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
The threat for heavy rain in South Florida is diminishing, however typical scattered thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours are still possible in the area through the weekend.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2025
The result was a mile-long line that turned scattered craftwork into synchronized production.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
More likely, a supernova occurs inside a galaxy loaded with numerous, scattered clouds of gas and dust.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
Theaters are shrinking, audiences scattered, and the machinery that once turned actors into household names has gone digital.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Fatu was shown laid out, bleeding from the mouth, with what appeared to be teeth scattered on the floor nearby.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
In the first season together, the brand garnered about 20 wholesale accounts globally, which have grown since to 45 doors scattered across Europe — with Spain and Italy being the strongest markets — as well as Asia with stockists in China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
Losses are scattered across thousands of small purchases, often unnoticed until patterns emerge.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Police entered the home on a welfare check and noticed blood smeared on the walls and furniture scattered across the living room.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
And a plastic family who lie scattered across the floor, still blank-faced and smiling.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Crews found the car heavily damaged with debris scattered throughout the intersection, the department said.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
But before last year, heritage vehicles were scattered across the globe with no centralized organization.
—Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattered
Adjective
-
Legalized betting has certain security advantages in that unusual betting patterns — such as large bets being placed on a random player’s performance — can be immediately flagged.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Still, a player ascending from top-15 or top-10-ish status in the league to a legit MVP candidate is arguably an even more difficult, more challenging and vertiginous jump than making the leap from random scrub to solid starter.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Microscopic structure behind the strength Using X-ray analysis, the team found that the LCs dispersed within the LCEs and formed tiny pockets – much like chocolate chips in cookie dough, as the team described.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Shifting the focus to more affordable and widely dispersed ground combat systems makes sense for Taiwan.—
Lyle Goldstein,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The fence corners are clean, so are the ditches, and the fruit trees have been pruned and sprayed.—
Jack O'Connor,
Outdoor Life,
23 Oct. 2025
-
So the little Indian doctor took off and came back with a mask and sprayed all around the room.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Maybe these two stars are all that is left of a cluster that dissipated long ago.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Rather, his dream dissipated into a torrent of mismatched expectations, bad luck, and fear that the project might really be cursed by an unseen force.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Several lawsuits have already been filed challenging the fee and selection changes, with universities, labor groups, and business organizations arguing that the administration exceeded its authority and that the new rules are arbitrary.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Not every such deprivation becomes a literal matter of life and death as in the play, but making use of such scenarios enables Shakespeare to highlight more effectively the danger of arbitrary action.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Think a more year-round COTA, with a dash more exclusivity sprinkled in.—
Patrick Iversen,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
According to Deadline, Scorsone's eight-episode hiatus will happen consecutively as opposed to other cast members' screen time reductions that are sprinkled throughout the season.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Although the museum’s alarm system activated the moment the window was breached and police responded within three minutes, the thieves disappeared before authorities arrived.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Climate action plans from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard have quietly disappeared from public websites in recent months.—
Ames Alexander,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Stephen’s stray ideas gave me a starting condition, a concrete frame that specified features, relations, and relevance.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Oct. 2025
-
After years of stray comments from various cast members signaling their interest in a possible revival, reboot, or sequel series, Disney+ ordered more Malcolm from original series creator Linwood Boomer in December.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattered. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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