1
as in climbing
to move (as up or over something) often with the help of the hands in holding or pulling
we scrabbled up a sand dune to get a better view of the sea
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in fumbling
to search for something blindly or uncertainly
he frantically scrabbled through the storage chest looking for the needed documents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrabbling
He’s blessed with a tense, scrabbling physicality on screen, plus a baby-Brando glower beneath a head of striking blond curls, and Nemes directs him into a stance of braced, vulnerable defensiveness that serves the film’s purposes well — even if his character, too, wants for interior light.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Her left hand is scrabbling over the surface of the thin soil, grasping at dead leaves, something to wipe herself.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
The young Canadian couple are recent transplants to the French capital, having logged a decade as content creators, performance artists and DJs fond of zombie makeup and body dysphoria, slowly scrabbling their way onto the international fashion scene.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Her left hand is scrabbling over the surface of the thin soil, grasping at dead leaves, something to wipe herself.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
The young Canadian couple are recent transplants to the French capital, having logged a decade as content creators, performance artists and DJs fond of zombie makeup and body dysphoria, slowly scrabbling their way onto the international fashion scene.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrabbling
Verb
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Spring has come to dine at winter’s table, responding to the glow of climbing fire.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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For example, when the Fed started to cut its interest rates last fall, mortgage rates actually began climbing.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Boise State played an uneven first half in Tampa, fumbling twice and committing a huge penalty that gave life to a South Florida touchdown drive.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Aug. 2025
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Facial recognition can help reduce wait times, eliminate the hassle of fumbling with documents and free up staff to focus on higher-value service.—
Jeff Kim,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This team was scrambling to put together a cogent, passable 53-man roster only a few weeks ago.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
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Countless brands scrambling to join the conversation.—
Ethan Karp,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps the most curious detail about the Wall Street Journal’s report is that Paramount Skydance would be looking to buy all of WBD and not just one half of the business.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
12 Sep. 2025
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Anogeissus bark extract helps restore a youthful-looking bounce, while nutrient-rich algae help your skin barrier feel strong and supported.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even back on board, the show continues after dark, with pelicans and reef sharks drawn to the yacht’s lights and sea lions sometimes clambering onto the aft deck.—
Rachel Ingram,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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After clambering back onto the platform, medics took him to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition with face injuries, cops said.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In fiscal 2027, the figure will almost double to $32 billion, before reaching $73 billion, $114 billion and $144 billion in the subsequent three years.—
Ari Levy,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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There still isn’t a ton of pressure on Canales to win at a contender-level clip but not reaching at least a two-game improvement would be a massive disappointment.—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrabbling. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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