as in handful
a small number
played before only a scatter of spectators in that huge stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to disperse
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
3
as in to dissipate
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 scatter
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Nov. 2025
Penix is very scatter-armed and sits in the pocket forever, almost as if frozen in amber, seemingly unaware that he is allowed to escape and buy time.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Harper and Yasmin, who’s emerged as the series’ co-lead, started out among Pierpoint’s newest hires; by the end of Season 3, the firm had been effectively dissolved, its novice traders scattered to the winds.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scatter
Noun
To get the look, scatter cut evergreen, red berry branches, pinecones, and white berries down the center of your table.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Nov. 2025
Penix is very scatter-armed and sits in the pocket forever, almost as if frozen in amber, seemingly unaware that he is allowed to escape and buy time.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
With only a handful of halfpipes in the world, the best snowboarders congregate for month-long training sessions, but scatter back to their homes to reset between the camps.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Harper and Yasmin, who’s emerged as the series’ co-lead, started out among Pierpoint’s newest hires; by the end of Season 3, the firm had been effectively dissolved, its novice traders scattered to the winds.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scatter
Noun
-
Even a handful of unscheduled TSA absences could quickly lead to longer wait times at smaller airports, for example, if there's just a single security checkpoint.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Even a handful of unscheduled TSA absences could quickly lead to longer wait times at smaller airports, for example, if there’s just a single security checkpoint.—
Rio Yamat,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Officer Norma Eisenman, an LAPD spokeswoman, said police made 51 arrests Saturday evening, with 47 adults and three juveniles cited and released for failure to disperse.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Participants were also asked to discuss whether markets should be centrally located, located on the South and West sides or dispersed throughout the city.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mix equal parts white vinegar and hot water in a bucket or spray bottle, then apply the solution to an icy surface.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The scale of the war effort had necessitated the creation of a health infrastructure on American soil—spraying for mosquitoes near the front lines in the Pacific wouldn’t mean anything if soldiers caught malaria at home before deployment.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The recent snap of cold weather across Central Florida appears to be dissipating.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
-
But whatever momentum might have been generated by the first round of talks in January appeared to have dissipated by the start of the second gathering.—
Aidan Stretch,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
It’s turned rainy and cooler in the past couple of days, but the creosote bushes are blooming yellow.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
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One of the most iconic couples of the 1990s, Carolyn and John’s place in Kennedy history was canonized by their untimely death by plane crash in 1999.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Try nutritional yeast mixed into homemade sauces and batters, or sprinkled onto savory dishes, for a nutty, cheesy flavor without dairy.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
16 Feb. 2026
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The center fielder spent the offseason at home training, with some travel sprinkled in.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hawke, who disappears into the role of Hart, is also nominated for an Academy Award for best actor.—
Trey Williams,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Other people whose arrests were documented by the detainees committee have disappeared into the prisons.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Surveillance watchdog group the Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised concern about the towers because they are not only placed in the vast empty stretches of land along the nearly 2,000-mile border but also in some communities that dot it.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
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For years, rapid growth has been reshaping neighborhoods across Austin, the continuing transformation marked by cranes dotting the skyline, road closures and steel rising across the metro area.—
Travis Webb,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scatter. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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