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
Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 8 May 2026
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
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
Erin Entrada Kelly, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Mishra placed metallic embroidery in irregular vine-like sections down the skirt, heavier at the front panels and hem, with small crystal dots scattered through the tulle.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 May 2026
Granite can tell us only so much, and the leaves scattered across the composition insist on the passage of time for any family, not just these.
—Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
However, the clothing found scattered around the remains was not of the sort usually worn by seamen or officers.
—ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Debris from the crash scattered the bridge and Reedsdale Street below.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Our mother treats it like another holiday card, leaving it scattered with the others on the kitchen counter.
—Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
According to the official logline, the story is set after the fall of the Galactic Empire, with Imperial warlords still scattered throughout the galaxy.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 4 May 2026
Founded more than half a century ago in a suburb of Los Angeles, the fast-food chain operates more than 200 restaurants in the Golden State, plus dozens more scattered in other states.
—Michael Deeds
may 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 May 2026
Adjective
In that case, most areas will see scattered rain, but the more robust cells could produce brief, heavy downpours.
—Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 8 May 2026
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
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
All those pieces of myself, scattered across a digital ocean, chewed up and spit out in less than 60 seconds.
—Erin Entrada Kelly, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Mishra placed metallic embroidery in irregular vine-like sections down the skirt, heavier at the front panels and hem, with small crystal dots scattered through the tulle.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 May 2026
Granite can tell us only so much, and the leaves scattered across the composition insist on the passage of time for any family, not just these.
—Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
However, the clothing found scattered around the remains was not of the sort usually worn by seamen or officers.
—ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Debris from the crash scattered the bridge and Reedsdale Street below.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Our mother treats it like another holiday card, leaving it scattered with the others on the kitchen counter.
—Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
According to the official logline, the story is set after the fall of the Galactic Empire, with Imperial warlords still scattered throughout the galaxy.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 4 May 2026
Founded more than half a century ago in a suburb of Los Angeles, the fast-food chain operates more than 200 restaurants in the Golden State, plus dozens more scattered in other states.
—Michael Deeds
may 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattered
Adjective
-
Even if the threshold for disagreement was quite low, disagreements were amplified to the point that each random interaction was increasingly likely to exceed the threshold.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
-
But as some have learned the hard way, that tendency of random things to appear to form patterns means that the other peak might be just noise.—
Faye Flam,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
As Hayek understood, knowledge is dispersed in a world too complicated for any central planner to ever wrap their heads around.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
-
Officers dispersed the crowd and found two slashing victims at the scene.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The vandals sprayed their hate messages with black and red spray paint.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2026
-
In the 2015 shooting, one witness told police that Savage had threatened one of the victims with a metal pipe and sprayed them with bleach, while another claimed Greene was the shooter.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Ballot propositions raising taxes for a specific popular need, but the funds go surprisingly into a general fund to be dissipated for political needs undisclosed to voters.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Ash devils can hurl hot embers in all directions and spark new fires, but this one harmlessly dissipated without spreading the blaze further.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
The fundamental processes governing brain health — genetics, neural and synaptic plasticity, and neuroinflammation — do not respect the arbitrary boundaries drawn between neurology and psychiatry.—
Eric J. Nestler,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
-
White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Apple Hill includes farms, gardens, orchards, vineyards, wineries and breweries sprinkled around the Sierra Nevada foothills.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
-
Sequeira sprinkled in a little easter egg elements into her outfits through the different timelines that nodded to Pennywise.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The original Marathon address is still on one of the buildings, and there are still little traces of RKO on the west side of the lot that haven’t fully disappeared.—
Chris Yogerst,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
-
In a twinkling, the report gets disappeared from public view and public comment as completely as if it had been dropped off the end of the Santa Monica Pier.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Outraged residents are now demanding that immediate measures be taken to control the stray dog population.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
-
These intimate reflections read like pages taken from private diaries, with all the informality and vulnerability of that genre, including misspellings and stray thoughts.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattered. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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