1
as in scrawling
to write or draw hastily or carelessly
she scribbled a quick note on the pad by the door before leaving
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in writing
to compose and set down on paper the words of
he scribbled a quick note to his wife and taped it to the front door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scribbling
As anachronisms constantly threaten to puncture the illusion, the cast stays wry, nimble and self-conscious in order to locate plot points and jokes that reinforce the golden-age radio setting, scribbling notes and introducing characters that propel them through ludicrous narrative arcs.
—
John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
The trilogy concluded on April 1 with Fagen scribbling an inscrutable equation on the car window until, again, taking a break to consult an invisible timepiece on his wrist.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
The customs officer began speaking to me very fast and pointing—the translator scribbling down notes all the while.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Lanier leaned on his down-home Texas folksiness throughout the trial, telling the jury what was on his heart and scribbling with grease pencil on his demonstrative aids.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
By then, a New York Tribune reporter had arrived and was furiously scribbling into his notepad.
—Charlotte Brooks, Big Think, 13 Mar. 2026
Family members, supporters of the defendants and law enforcement officers sat through hours of closing arguments and instructions to jurors, with some scribbling notes and others dabbing tears from their eyes.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
That means no reporters scribbling down who’s canoodling with whom at the bar.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
Quatisha Maycock, 5, had just learned how to write her name and practiced scribbling it every day up until she was thrown into the Everglades and left to be eaten by alligators.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
The trilogy concluded on April 1 with Fagen scribbling an inscrutable equation on the car window until, again, taking a break to consult an invisible timepiece on his wrist.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
The customs officer began speaking to me very fast and pointing—the translator scribbling down notes all the while.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Lanier leaned on his down-home Texas folksiness throughout the trial, telling the jury what was on his heart and scribbling with grease pencil on his demonstrative aids.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
By then, a New York Tribune reporter had arrived and was furiously scribbling into his notepad.
—Charlotte Brooks, Big Think, 13 Mar. 2026
Family members, supporters of the defendants and law enforcement officers sat through hours of closing arguments and instructions to jurors, with some scribbling notes and others dabbing tears from their eyes.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
That means no reporters scribbling down who’s canoodling with whom at the bar.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
Quatisha Maycock, 5, had just learned how to write her name and practiced scribbling it every day up until she was thrown into the Everglades and left to be eaten by alligators.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scribbling
Verb
-
The act of scrawling them upon the page is tangible and pleasing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Nov. 2025
-
Chalamet invites his Instagram followers to meet him at Regal Times Square to watch the first 30 minutes of Marty Supreme by scrawling the message on his Instagram Story in orange.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Feerick was summoned to Washington to start writing what would become the Twenty-fifth.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Codex, OpenAI’s AI coding agent for software engineering tasks like writing code and fixing bugs, was released in 2025.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
3 May 2026
Verb
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They’re specifically designed for glass cooktop surfaces and have two sides—a gritty, sandpaper-like one on one side and a soft sponge on the other that gently scrub off stubborn messes and stuck-on bits without scratching or damaging the glass.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
3 May 2026
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The guy who went overseas to play, and then coach basketball, couldn’t even nab a Division III coaching gig before scratching and clawing his way into the NBA.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scribbling. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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