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
Those scrappy but hungry fresh grads are contributing to a boom in the economy.
—
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
That same year the American independent filmmaker Sean Baker premiered his comedy caper Tangerine, shot on an iPhone 5s, at Sundance, aligning the emerging category of the cell phone movie with a tradition of scrappy, low-budget ingenuity.
—Dennis Lim, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Each zine was part of this larger project, a communal push to create a scrappy literary scene of our own.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Texas Chainsaw is one of the more storied horror franchises in existence, which also happened to have scrappy independent roots.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
That same year the American independent filmmaker Sean Baker premiered his comedy caper Tangerine, shot on an iPhone 5s, at Sundance, aligning the emerging category of the cell phone movie with a tradition of scrappy, low-budget ingenuity.
—Dennis Lim, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Each zine was part of this larger project, a communal push to create a scrappy literary scene of our own.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Texas Chainsaw is one of the more storied horror franchises in existence, which also happened to have scrappy independent roots.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrappy
Adjective
-
Buxton knows the plan — a fighting retreat that saves ownership money but still gives the team the chance to regroup and compete for a division title with strong starting pitching and an aggressive, small-ball approach from a young, athletic lineup.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
-
Iran signaled an aggressive response to this latest bid to break its stranglehold over the strait, which has left global shipping at an effective standstill and sent energy prices spiraling.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Two postseasons ago, Joel Embiid rankled Knicks fans during a hyper-testy first-round series in which the Philadelphia 76ers star engaged in multiple controversial plays — none bigger than him pulling Mitchell Robinson to the ground.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
Prior attempts to update the 2024 law have been some of the most controversial efforts in the legislature, leading to high drama at both the end of the 2025 regular session and earning a place in the governor’s call for a special session last summer.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Possibly this was the case at élite law schools in the nineteen-nineties, where even the most obdurate deans could not afford to ignore their militant students indefinitely.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Iraqi Kurds and Iraqi forces helped defeat the militant group in Iraq.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
This comes after a federal appeals court's April 21 decision to uphold a contentious Texas law requiring public school districts to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, setting the stage for a potential Supreme Court fight.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Fiery moments from the governor’s debate Democratic frontrunners Xavier Becerra and billionaire Tom Steyer faced fierce attacks Wednesday during a contentious gubernatorial debate in Los Angeles.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Being on the road and in a hostile environment is something that Ayton also is looking forward to.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
The race between Jones and Jackson has been incredibly hostile, with both releasing a myriad of attack ads and going after one another in debates.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Colleges and universities nationwide continue to grapple with polemic issues associated with the fair treatment of individuals of differing backgrounds, political persuasions, and sexuality.—
Blake D. Morant,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This kind of depravity, licentiousness and polemical theatrics has no place on such a traditional and once wholesome presentation of the coming of a new year in our great nation and especially on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and freedom in history.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps too feisty and brusque than some unfairly find acceptable in a woman.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
In a feisty exchange with a Framingham city councilor in late March, Spilka opened up on her resistance to the audit, arguing that DiZoglio is trying to act like a monarch.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jared Speight is a stubborn titan of Long Island abstraction when star writer Roxy Margaux first becomes infatuated with his bravado.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
-
For concrete or tile, a mild cleaner helps remove the stubborn pollen film that builds up over spring months.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrappy. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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