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
Cutter Martin, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
And in legislative committees and in debate on Wednesday, sponsors of the new requirement didn’t cite evidence of more than scattered cases in which non-citizens may have voted.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during anti-government rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during antigovernment rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Instead of building individual homes on scattered sites, Reclaiming Chicago aims to transform whole neighborhoods at once, sometimes taking over large vacant lots and planting groups of more than 100 affordable homes.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More scattered sleet, snow and ice are expected for the afternoon, before widespread precipitation is predicted to return Saturday night.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Its fractured, scattered form, grasping for structure instead of pretending to master it, is an attempt to build a future that will include both author and reader.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
More than a dozen robots and creatures are scattered on a pink carpet.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
The game wasn’t on the scoreboard, but so many people were watching on their phones and on smaller TVs scattered around the arena that the place erupted.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Most scattered freely, while Schmeby attempted to do the same, eventually getting stuck hanging over a wooden board blocking the sidewalk.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
By contrast, Tuesday brings a Weather Alert Day with a slight risk (level 2/5), indicating a higher chance of more organized and scattered severe storms through the day as a cold front moves through.
—Vytas Reid, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
More than 20 people died in that incident, and another 30 were injured, and banknotes from the plane's cargo scattered around the crash site, prompting clashes between residents and security forces.
—Luis Jaime Acosta, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
The billboards scattered across the city arrive as speculation grows that the singer is planning to host a series of comeback concerts.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
These smaller hubs scattered across downtown fostered a level of intimacy among attendees.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Earlier sunshine way to clouds and scattered rain as the first, in a series, of passing systems brings brief wet weather to Maryland.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
And in legislative committees and in debate on Wednesday, sponsors of the new requirement didn’t cite evidence of more than scattered cases in which non-citizens may have voted.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during anti-government rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during antigovernment rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Instead of building individual homes on scattered sites, Reclaiming Chicago aims to transform whole neighborhoods at once, sometimes taking over large vacant lots and planting groups of more than 100 affordable homes.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More scattered sleet, snow and ice are expected for the afternoon, before widespread precipitation is predicted to return Saturday night.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Its fractured, scattered form, grasping for structure instead of pretending to master it, is an attempt to build a future that will include both author and reader.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Verb
Quinn struck out 11, walked five and scattered four hits for her third win of the season.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
More than a dozen robots and creatures are scattered on a pink carpet.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
The game wasn’t on the scoreboard, but so many people were watching on their phones and on smaller TVs scattered around the arena that the place erupted.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Most scattered freely, while Schmeby attempted to do the same, eventually getting stuck hanging over a wooden board blocking the sidewalk.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
By contrast, Tuesday brings a Weather Alert Day with a slight risk (level 2/5), indicating a higher chance of more organized and scattered severe storms through the day as a cold front moves through.
—Vytas Reid, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
More than 20 people died in that incident, and another 30 were injured, and banknotes from the plane's cargo scattered around the crash site, prompting clashes between residents and security forces.
—Luis Jaime Acosta, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
The billboards scattered across the city arrive as speculation grows that the singer is planning to host a series of comeback concerts.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
These smaller hubs scattered across downtown fostered a level of intimacy among attendees.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattered
Adjective
-
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The sentence, arrived at via a sequence of random numbers thrown out by the group itself, begins the eighth paragraph of page 432 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When the munitions were fired, the crowd dispersed.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The city allocated $51,000 for the program and will keep the application portal open until the money is dispersed.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Shortly after Monarez took office, a gunman driven by distrust in vaccines attacked the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters, firing more than 180 rounds that sprayed multiple buildings and killed DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Homes and cars were set ablaze, Palestinians were pepper-sprayed and at least five people were wounded in the overnight assaults, which took place during the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the agency said.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But tensions within the American Jewish community have hardly dissipated since a peace deal was signed, in October, 2025.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Now that the trough has dissipated, the heat was back on.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What’s to blame for all these arbitrary governing principles?—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Black folks have seen the face of the US’s prerogative state—the side of the government that dispenses arbitrary jurisprudence, discriminatory law enforcement, and violence against those who challenge its authority and dominant ideologies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Plentiful other allusions suggest the wait may not be too painful; the long breadcrumb trail, sprinkled throughout 2025, gives the impression OR3 is just waiting to burst out of her.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
23 Mar. 2026
-
And while there have always been casual Caribbean restaurants and mom-and-pops sprinkled about—until quite recently, fine dining from the region wasn’t really a thing.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then the firm took its fee and disappeared.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Today, that sense of place has largely disappeared as a new generation of artists is treating the internet itself as source material.—
Keegan Brady,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition, for almost two years, his wife, Deltah, drove Henard to Childress every Tuesday for infusions of Keytruda, an immune checkpoint inhibitor used to prevent recurrence of disease by attacking stray cancer cells that may still be circulating in the body.—
Caleb Hellerman,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
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Atlanta police are searching for three suspects after a Campbellton Road shooting injured one man and sent a stray bullet through a school bus window, causing minor injuries to two children.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattered. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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