Synonyms of scattered

scattered 1 of 2

adjective

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

• random
• arbitrary
• stray
• erratic
• sporadic
• haphazard
• lucky
• aimless
• accidental
• contingent
• casual
• desultory
• odd
• hit-or-miss
• irregular
• chance
• slapdash
• helter-skelter
• catch-as-catch-can
• incidental
• disorganized
• spot
• inadvertent
• unconsidered
• scattershot
• shotgun
• unsystematic
• directionless
• unplanned
• unintended
• indiscriminate
• unintentional
• fortuitous
• unpremeditated
• purposeless
• undirected
• disorderly
• undiscriminating
• fluky
• chancy
• objectless
• unselective

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• systematic
• organized
• regular
• orderly
• fixed
• stable
• constant
• continuous
• regular
• steady
• arranged
• established
• even
• methodical
• systematized
• set
• nonrandom
• aware
• managed
• planned
• conscious
• ordered
• deliberate
• thoughtful
• purposeful
• orchestrated
• willful

scattered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of scatter

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

• dispersed
• dissipated
• isolated
• disbanded
• dispelled
• squandered
• segregated
• separated
• diffused
• cleared out
• disseminated
• split (up)
• parted
• spread
• broke up
• diverged

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collected
• gathered
• concentrated
• assembled
• clustered
• congregated
• ingathered
• united
• unified
• agglutinated
• conglomerated

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

• sprayed
• sprinkled
• dotted
• peppered
• strewed
• spotted
• bestrewed
• dusted
• sowed
• speckled
• drizzled
• flecked
• studded
• blanketed
• dappled
• spattered
• stippled
• bespattered

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

• dispersed
• dissipated
• disappeared
• faded
• dissolved
• disassembled
• divided
• evaporated
• separated
• spilled
• melted
• disbanded
• diverged
• forked
• fled
• went (away)
• branched (out)
• cleared
• broke up
• evanesced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gathered
• met
• congregated

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scattered

Adjective

There are a few, scattered references to female gladiators. —Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026

Within minutes of leaving town, the pavement twists downward through tight turns and steep grades as the mountain air begins to warm, the vegetation giving way to chaparral and scattered juniper, then to the stark silhouettes of ocotillo and Mojave yucca. —Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026

Another concern is the protection of Route 90, the only highway connecting the small and scattered communities of the north, on which the 27-year-old woman was killed last week. —Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026

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

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

Verb

Slowly, incrementally, Andrew disassembled the coach, until hundreds of little bits of him were scattered from Rockville to Manassas. —John McPhee, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

The Central chimps scattered as the Western chimps climbed up the tree. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026

Police said people quickly scattered, with some fleeing in cars and others running on foot. —Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026

Home fragrances, cleansing gels, moisturizing lotions and candles by L’Artisan Parfumeur are scattered across the rooms. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026

This was an early morning brawl that left hair scattered across the floor and welts upon at least one of the heads, although there were likely more. —Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Fernández said that most of her friends who were launching nonprofits and pop-up restaurants a decade ago are now scattered around the globe. —Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026

Debris was scattered across green spaces. —Kendrick Calfee updated April 18, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2026

But it’s scattered across teams, channels, and systems. —Jarrod Martin, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026