Synonyms of scattering

scattering 1 of 2

noun

ˈska-tə-riŋ 

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

• dispersion
• dispersal
• dissipation
• diffusion
• dissemination
• disbandment
• split
• breakup
• dissolution
• separation
• disunion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• concentration
• collection
• assembly
• gathering

2

as in handful

a small number

a scattering of people in the mostly empty theater

Synonyms & Similar Words

• handful
• couple
• few
• scatter
• smattering
• sprinkling
• sprinkle
• smatter
• minority
• fragment
• grain
• atom
• molecule
• particle
• whit
• shred
• modicum
• jot
• iota
• crumb
• tittle
• scrap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• many
• loads
• multitude
• thousands
• flock
• mountain
• army
• crowd
• most
• host
• horde
• majority
• legion
• excess
• abundance
• scads
• surplus
• oodles
• plenty
• gazillion
• zillion
• mass
• quantity
• pile
• jillion
• wealth
• heap
• profusion
• stack
• kazillion
• lot
• slew
• pot
• raft
• deal
• peck
• reams
• plenitude
• wad
• gobs
• much
• slather

scattering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of scatter

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

• dispersing
• dissipating
• dispelling
• isolating
• squandering
• segregating
• separating
• disbanding
• diffusing
• splitting (up)
• clearing out
• disseminating
• parting
• spreading
• diverging
• breaking up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collecting
• gathering
• assembling
• concentrating
• clustering
• congregating
• ingathering
• agglutinating
• uniting
• unifying
• conglomerating

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

• spraying
• sprinkling
• dotting
• peppering
• strewing
• dusting
• sowing
• spotting
• bestrewing
• drizzling
• speckling
• flecking
• studding
• dappling
• blanketing
• spattering
• stippling
• bespattering

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

• dispersing
• dissipating
• disappearing
• fading
• dissolving
• disassembling
• evaporating
• spilling
• dividing
• melting
• diverging
• separating
• disbanding
• forking
• fleeing
• branching (out)
• going (away)
• clearing
• breaking up
• evanescing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gathering
• meeting
• congregating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scattering

Noun

The unincorporated community, little more than a scattering of buildings at a bend in the road, lies midway between Mason and Llano in the Texas Hill Country. — Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 20 July 2026

And even outside the direct beam, the scattering of its photons through the atmosphere would create a still-bright smudge of light pollution in the surrounding night sky. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 July 2026

Verb

The jacarandas were in full effusion, stately and fragrant, tilting over the streets and scattering petals on the sidewalks. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Ryan Gusto threw 5 2/3 shutout innings while scattering four hits, walking three, hitting two and striking out two. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026