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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Then, after starting the second half by fumbling the ball away at the Rebels’ 17, the Cougars’ next two drives ended in two more Belinske-Strauss touchdown runs – the second of which came on a possession that started at the Champlin Park 1 after a high snap on a Rebels’ punt attempt.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
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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
Verb
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Even professional translators in Shanghai and New York are scrambling to master new AI models to safeguard their jobs.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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But there’s no team rule against him scrambling.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 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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Harried enjoyed a colorful green and purple display with vast pillars reaching high into the sky, as well as a subtle green glow as activity began to wane.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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In the United States, many assets built in the mid-20th century are reaching the end of their useful lives.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrabbling. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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