1
as in dispersions
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 handfuls
a small number
a scattering of people in the mostly empty theater
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scatterings
The animals were now found only in the high Rocky Mountains and in scatterings along the Pacific Coast.
—
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scatterings
Noun
-
Stable dispersions lasted for up to a month, supported by strong negative zeta potentials in both water and ethanol.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Dec. 2025
-
The lens design features 16 elements, including four extra-low dispersions (ED) elements and three aspherical elements, along with Nikon's advanced lens coatings to minimize chromatic aberration and ghosting even in challenging lighting conditions.—
Harry Bennett,
Space.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The video that went viral on Facebook shows a fast food employee stuffing two handfuls of French fries in her mouth and then putting them into a red McDonald's fry container that another employee is holding.—
Penny Kmitt,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
To begin, lab assistant Julia Butac empties a burlap bag of beans into a bin and starts to sift them a couple handfuls at a time, removing anything that isn't a full bean.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
In general, however, the law itself, as well as the difficulties of enforcing it in outlying districts, favored the settlers, and massacres, incursions, poisonings, and forced dispersals usually went unpunished.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As a result, the crowd is a mix of everyone from brunching neighborhood residents and locals on staycations to international tourists and older couples enjoying the city for the weekend.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
-
This left Kenzie and Sean without their couples for the next 24 hours.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Pea gravel shifts and scatters.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In a cluttered room, that beam scatters in every direction.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scatterings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scatterings. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
