1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
she was a scrappy girl despite—or, perhaps, because of—her small size
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversial
given to arguing
a pair of scrappy movie critics who can never agree on anything
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrappy
By the same token, the eye-rolling flirtation between scrappy reporter Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) and über-ditz Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) might have worked better in a film less determined to look for the best in people.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
Corenswet’s funny, scrappy rapport with Rachel Brosnahan’s whip-smart Lois Lane — possibly the sharpest and most captivating interpretation of the ace Daily Planet reporter since Margot Kidder — makes their every scene together a delight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Red-hot Canada will take on scrappy and confident Guatemala in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
The creator economy is no longer a scrappy side hustle or a chaotic collection of one-person operations filming videos in basements.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
Corenswet’s funny, scrappy rapport with Rachel Brosnahan’s whip-smart Lois Lane — possibly the sharpest and most captivating interpretation of the ace Daily Planet reporter since Margot Kidder — makes their every scene together a delight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Red-hot Canada will take on scrappy and confident Guatemala in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
The creator economy is no longer a scrappy side hustle or a chaotic collection of one-person operations filming videos in basements.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrappy
Adjective
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An aggressive hitter, Naylor can get extremely hot, and carry a team with drives to the gap or bombs over the fence.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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As the relationship between Putin and Trump has soured, a broad coalition of U.S. lawmakers has lined up ready to place new aggressive sanctions on Russia.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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The death was ruled a suicide, a controversial ruling that has become conspiracy fodder and the subject of intense scrutiny.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
30 July 2025
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Beyond his work on the sitcom, Hip has been a regular in films by the controversial director Abel Ferrara, including China Girl (1987), Bad Lieutenant (1992), and The Funeral (1996).—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Israel declared war on Hamas after the militant group's soldiers launched a surprise attack on the Jewish state, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Trump has been uniquely willing to break with Israel on many issues—for instance, by making deals with the Houthi militant group in Yemen and opening a diplomatic dialogue with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Shara, despite his past alignment with al-Qaeda.—
ZAHA HASSAN,
Foreign Affairs,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Although sometimes contentious, his most recent appearance lacked the acrimony from lawmakers who had accused the director and the lottery's oversight board of misleading the Legislature about the courier companies.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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After the initially contentious plan in 1994 to establish a citywide youth curfew, part of the plan involved extending hours at recreation centers in Evanston and Price Hill.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Five days later, on July 8, an attorney for the city manager submitted a letter of potential claim against the city citing defamation, harassment and creation of a hostile work environment.—
Anita Edmondson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 July 2025
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In early October 2022, the ruling said, McCarty filed a hostile work environment complaint with the police department.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Beneath its surface were deep, dark scars—grooves cut through the rock by old lava flows, now overgrown with stubborn green.—
Tess Moormans,
Travel + Leisure,
27 July 2025
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The fizzing reaction can help remove stubborn residues.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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Schreiber starred on the big screen in 2018's Den of Thieves and memorably played the feisty leprechaun Mad Sweeney on Starz's American Gods.—
Derek Lawrence,
EW.com,
29 July 2025
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While some lament that Trump seems unstoppable, the feisty disabled activists succeeded in shutting down Trump Tower, at least for a while, as police cordoned off the entire blockfront outside the gleaming edifice and rolled the gate down over its rear entrance.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrappy. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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