1
as in climbing
to move (as up or over something) often with the help of the hands in holding or pulling
the toddler scrambled up the stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
scrambled the letters of the word
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 scrambling
Max Strus is the starter and has fared well as a shooter, screener and mover inside Cleveland’s scrambling attack.
—
Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Over three hours, small groups navigate a challenging underground world, scrambling over boulders, belly-crawling through narrow passages, and squeezing through tight spaces to discover hidden marble wonders.
—Heide Brandes, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
With many scrambling for any information regarding the late crooner’s private cancer battle, a false statement surfaced that was supposedly from Archer.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 15 Oct. 2025
As OpenAI races ahead, Hollywood is scrambling to get in front of the situation.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
The closure has halted routine government operations, shuttered Smithsonian museums and other landmark cultural institutions and left airports scrambling with flight disruptions, all injecting more uncertainty into an already precarious economy.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The president of the European Commission highlighted that in just the last two weeks, Russian drones and warplanes have violated the airspace of six European nations, scrambling jets, grounding commercial flights and posing a direct threat to EU citizens.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
After scrambling for just two touchdowns across his first four seasons in the NFL, according to ESPN, the 2021 first overall pick matched that haul in just 60 minutes on Monday.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Following the 31-28 loss that was clinched by Trevor Lawrence scrambling for a one-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left in regulation, Jones' effort was called into question on the backbreaking play.
—Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Over three hours, small groups navigate a challenging underground world, scrambling over boulders, belly-crawling through narrow passages, and squeezing through tight spaces to discover hidden marble wonders.
—Heide Brandes, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
With many scrambling for any information regarding the late crooner’s private cancer battle, a false statement surfaced that was supposedly from Archer.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 15 Oct. 2025
As OpenAI races ahead, Hollywood is scrambling to get in front of the situation.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
The closure has halted routine government operations, shuttered Smithsonian museums and other landmark cultural institutions and left airports scrambling with flight disruptions, all injecting more uncertainty into an already precarious economy.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The president of the European Commission highlighted that in just the last two weeks, Russian drones and warplanes have violated the airspace of six European nations, scrambling jets, grounding commercial flights and posing a direct threat to EU citizens.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
After scrambling for just two touchdowns across his first four seasons in the NFL, according to ESPN, the 2021 first overall pick matched that haul in just 60 minutes on Monday.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Following the 31-28 loss that was clinched by Trevor Lawrence scrambling for a one-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left in regulation, Jones' effort was called into question on the backbreaking play.
—Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrambling
Verb
-
The barely there silhouette retails from $795 for core colorways, like Reinhart’s black pair, climbing to $950 for textured finishes like red, gold and green snakeskin.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
-
At an elementary school in southwest Boise, in the fall of 2020, children in pre-K went to their recess on the playground, laughing and climbing ladders to reach the slide.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But despite the Raiders’ slow start, Crosby remains the one player capable of disrupting that surge, near single-handedly.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
-
So far, more than four thousand employees have been laid off, disrupting government services devoted to, among other things, cybersecurity efforts, special-education programs, substance-abuse treatment, and loans for small businesses.—
Andy Kroll,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The piece is a collection of disused shoemaker boxes, once used by cobblers to keep tools, pressed against each other and stacked up, clambering toward the ceiling.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
By the end of the night, so many fans had crowd-surfed from the pit to the stage, clambering onto the platform, that the band members were barely visible.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Suddenly, a horde of ragged, bloodied creatures appear, their feet shuffling along the pavement, their hollow eyes locked on fleeing figures ahead.—
Tom Duszynski,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
-
But after some shuffling at the position, Horn finally got his opportunity and immediately impacted the offense with the threat of his speed.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This brings the total to more than $2 million raised to influence the outcome of Referendum 310, funding a wave of misleading ads aimed at confusing voters.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The British and American versions also have different plot points, further confusing the matter, but the score has endured and developed a cult-following.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Martin revealed the repeat offender's disturbing search history.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The property served as both recording hub and the center of disturbing allegations that have long shadowed Kelly’s career.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrambling. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share