1
as in dispersion
an act or process in which something scatters or is scattered
the scattering of the protesters suddenly turned violent and chaotic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in handful
a small number
a scattering of people in the mostly empty theater
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dispersing
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 spraying
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 dissipating
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 scattering
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
And more than 3,000 other places across the country, plus a scattering around the world.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
According to deputies, the suspects, wearing all black, fled in several vehicles, scattering in different directions.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Noun
Because the observation occurred beyond Earth's atmosphere, the view was not affected by atmospheric scattering or distortion, offering higher contrast and sharper detail.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
And more than 3,000 other places across the country, plus a scattering around the world.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
Junior right-hander Kaidence Rumachik went the distance, striking out nine and scattering seven hits and two walks to pick up the pitching win.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
According to deputies, the suspects, wearing all black, fled in several vehicles, scattering in different directions.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattering
Noun
-
This proprietary approach overcomes challenges of surface treatment and dispersion associated with the material.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Goldman notes that the three-month realized pairwise correlation among the major AI hyperscalers—Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle—has fallen sharply, with rising dispersion among the dominant names.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While Jaquez did not provide the eye-popping scoring of some of her teammates, the wing brought a cool effectiveness to the defensive side of the ball while tallying a pair of assists and a handful of deflections.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2026
-
Submitting requests to a handful of data broker sites only limits exposure temporarily, and those same sites can relist your details as public records refresh.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Experts and congressional aides have said that Iran was likely able to preserve some of its arsenal by deploying decoys and dispersing weapons around the country.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
-
Johnson mentioned the possibility of Mexican wolves dispersing into Texas from the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area, which covers portions of Arizona and New Mexico south of Interstate 40.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Aerosol insecticides also show only limited success, as more midges emerge after spraying.—
Eva Flowe
May 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
-
Williams bought his on the TikTok shop, and chose it because it was advertised as spraying quickly.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The structure brings visitors below ground, from lightness to darkness, with sounds slowly dissipating.—
Solvej Schou,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
The crowd thinned as clouds of dust headed toward Brickell Avenue before dissipating, revealing a sunny, blue sky.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The month prior, an adult man was charged after allegedly punching a police officer at the city's annual Light Up Night, and police issued a dispersal order when teens began to get rowdy.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
Examples include his pioneering insights on the dispersal of seeds, his anticipation of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection and his study of the seasonal manifestations of natural phenomena, such as plants’ flowering times and bird migrations.—
Robert M. Thorson,
The Conversation,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
There are baking projects like homemade bagels, riffs on fast-food favorites, and a couple of drinks to round things out.—
Hannah Lee Leidy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 May 2026
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Even if his hair were jet-black, the last couple of weeks would be capable of turning anyone’s hair gray.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
For casseroles, cover tightly with foil and return to the oven until the rice is tender, sprinkling with a splash of water or broth if the casserole seems dry.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
7 May 2026
-
Planting a clover lawn is as easy as sprinkling topsoil over an even distribution of seeds, followed by watering.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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