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
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
On Sunday, rain will pick up across the Midwest from Kansas and Missouri through Ohio and Pennsylvania while scattered thunderstorms are possible from Arkansas up to Ohio, with some possibly strong enough to bring gusty winds and maybe an isolated tornado.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Dec. 2025
The North Bay will experience moderate to heavy rain on Saturday, with the rest of the region seeing light, scattered rainfall, the National Weather Service said.
—Jose Fabian, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Mars in Capricorn wants your expansion strategic and sustainable, not just spontaneous and scattered.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Dec. 2025
In Ohio, heavy lake-effect snow fell on large swaths of northern Ohio heading into Thanksgiving, followed by a strong midweek cold front that dropped temperatures and produced scattered snow across the state.
—Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Dec. 2025
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
Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
But the most compelling aspect of these eight episodes, set a year after Industry sold off the Pierpoint bank that once employed most of its characters and scattered them to London’s various elite cloisters, is the sense that money has never really been the point of the show.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
This connection to culture is exemplified by the 52 UNESCO World Heritage Sites scattered across the country, each a testament to the rich culture and history that Germany cherishes and shares with travelers from across the globe.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Lee responded that the condo board, made up of unpaid volunteers, was scattered for the holidays and unable to provide formal assurances.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2026
With hotels scattered around the world, the Ritz-Carlton has created a signature scent for many of its various locations.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
Several patrol cars, their lights flashing, were scattered along neighboring streets.
—Jamie Landers, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Aerial surveys revealed that 509 houses were scattered on the outskirts of the town center, though the exact function of the enclosures remains to be determined.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026
Another difficulty is that the deaths are scattered.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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
On Sunday, rain will pick up across the Midwest from Kansas and Missouri through Ohio and Pennsylvania while scattered thunderstorms are possible from Arkansas up to Ohio, with some possibly strong enough to bring gusty winds and maybe an isolated tornado.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Dec. 2025
The North Bay will experience moderate to heavy rain on Saturday, with the rest of the region seeing light, scattered rainfall, the National Weather Service said.
—Jose Fabian, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Mars in Capricorn wants your expansion strategic and sustainable, not just spontaneous and scattered.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Dec. 2025
In Ohio, heavy lake-effect snow fell on large swaths of northern Ohio heading into Thanksgiving, followed by a strong midweek cold front that dropped temperatures and produced scattered snow across the state.
—Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Dec. 2025
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
Verb
Farther south, more stormwater treatment areas, 97 square miles of them in all, are scattered between the sugarcane and vegetable fields that make the EAA among the most bountiful regions in the nation and the fragile Everglades.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
But the most compelling aspect of these eight episodes, set a year after Industry sold off the Pierpoint bank that once employed most of its characters and scattered them to London’s various elite cloisters, is the sense that money has never really been the point of the show.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
This connection to culture is exemplified by the 52 UNESCO World Heritage Sites scattered across the country, each a testament to the rich culture and history that Germany cherishes and shares with travelers from across the globe.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Lee responded that the condo board, made up of unpaid volunteers, was scattered for the holidays and unable to provide formal assurances.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2026
With hotels scattered around the world, the Ritz-Carlton has created a signature scent for many of its various locations.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
Several patrol cars, their lights flashing, were scattered along neighboring streets.
—Jamie Landers, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Aerial surveys revealed that 509 houses were scattered on the outskirts of the town center, though the exact function of the enclosures remains to be determined.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026
Another difficulty is that the deaths are scattered.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattered
Adjective
-
Rumors have swirled that Jaramillo was at the center of an ambush or that his murder was part of planned retribution, but Cordero-Stutz reaffirmed that his death was a random encounter that could have happened to any deputy that day.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
This is the random bunch of misfits Courteney will have to transform into a team competitive enough to make it to nationals, and that will surely start to form one big family along the way.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The four-cup collection also features one special Golden Fan Cup design, 3,000 of which will be randomly dispersed for sale across restaurants nationwide.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Randomly dispersed among the cups nationwide will be 3,000 Golden Fan Cups.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Asking your local nursery to procure plants that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides, which can harm monarchs in every stage of life, is another actionable step.—
Chelsee Lowe,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
-
An attachment to the machine sprayed the plaster, specifically mixed on-site and fed to the printer, covering large swaths of the walls and accelerating the time needed for the task.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Any prospect of Republicans having a serious chance of keeping the Old Dominion this year was, at best, a mirage that dissipated months ago.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Nov. 2025
-
With a muted atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium amidst despondent home support, West Ham’s opportunity was a potential mood-changer whose energy dissipated in the rattling of the woodwork.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The National Police has been repeatedly cited by national and international human rights organizations for excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, and the mistreatment of protesters and civilians.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Critics say those distinctions are arbitrary and unfair, being based on outdated assumptions and bad science.—
Kevin Krause,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Other Latin artists are sprinkled throughout the categories.—
Sigal Ratner-Arias,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The initial run of shows sprinkled 12 dates over the course of May 2026, kicking off May 6 and running through May 30.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even worse for him, the cash ripped from his waist and disappeared into the darkness.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Although multiple witnesses reported seeing a shark near where Fox disappeared, the coroner did not officially confirm a shark bite until Thursday.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Policing organizations such as the Police Executive Research Forum and the International Association of Chiefs of Police have recommended similar limits, warning that shooting at vehicles creates serious risks from stray gunfire or from a vehicle crashing if the driver is hit.—
Claudia Lauer,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
-
His surveillance video showed a man fixing a car outside the store when he was apparently hit by the stray bullet.—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattered. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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