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
Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
In recent papers, researchers have bootstrapped the Veneziano amplitude, the formula for the scattering of two open strings, as the unique solution that follows from various sets of starting assumptions.
—Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026
Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
Jobe Reed tosses 5 innings, scattering 4 hits with no runs, 7 strikeouts and 3 walks.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Noun
Norway, Sweden, and Finland provide the iconic backdrops for cross-country skiing, along with a scattering of historic venues in Russia and Central Europe.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
In recent papers, researchers have bootstrapped the Veneziano amplitude, the formula for the scattering of two open strings, as the unique solution that follows from various sets of starting assumptions.
—Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
The freshman threw a six-inning complete-game shutout as Alameda beat Willow Glen 1-0, scattering six hits while keeping the Rams off the scoreboard.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
Jobe Reed tosses 5 innings, scattering 4 hits with no runs, 7 strikeouts and 3 walks.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 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
-
One of the most rousing action-comedies ever made, and one that possesses an undeniable heft in its practical effects, The General builds beautifully off of its premise to create a handful of cinema’s most dizzying, entertaining chase sequences.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
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In 2024, Niobrara became the country’s first official quiet trail—one of just a handful in the world, certified by Quiet Parks International.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Responding officers found a large group of people dispersing from the area of Mill Street and Chapel Street and were told by passersby that there had been a fight on Chapel Street and that someone had been shot.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This prevents seeds from dispersing when a squirrel sits on the feeder.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At Château-sur-Mer, a mansion in Newport, arborists from Bartlett Tree Experts have been spraying the canopies of the century-old beech trees in a race against time.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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To ensure that the solution doesn’t sit on the plants, spraying them down with water during the process is always the best option.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At least, the tension between Jenna and Eddy is dissipating.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But the smoke was dissipating, and that delayed the decision to land.—
Jeff Suess,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What Remains Unknown Zagury noted in her Mongabay interview that much is still unknown — particularly the extent to which toucans actually drive seed dispersal and forest regrowth.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists are continuing to study exactly how much the toucans are driving seed dispersal and long-term forest regrowth.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Portman — daughter of a fertility doctor — said she was raised hearing about the difficulties some couples face when trying to start a family.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
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In the early 1960s, the couple moved back to Chicago when David began teaching at the U of C's law school.—
Hannah Meisel,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My grandmother just kept sprinkling water and stirring until all the flour gathered into loose clumps, no longer powdery but not yet sticky.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The younger two brothers float paper boats in the kitchen sink and Jeremy plays along, sprinkling flour on their heads—but making the kitchen a total mess.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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