1
as in scrawling
to write or draw hastily or carelessly
she scribbled a quick note on the pad by the door before leaving
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in writing
to compose and set down on paper the words of
he scribbled a quick note to his wife and taped it to the front door
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of scribbling
This group – which included women with graying hair and comfortable OnCloud running shoes, a doctoral student scribbling in a tiny notebook and men wearing office casual chinos – were talking death over tea and vegan strawberry cookies in a gathering commonly called a Death Cafe.
—
Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
As anachronisms constantly threaten to puncture the illusion, the cast stays wry, nimble and self-conscious in order to locate plot points and jokes that reinforce the golden-age radio setting, scribbling notes and introducing characters that propel them through ludicrous narrative arcs.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
The trilogy concluded on April 1 with Fagen scribbling an inscrutable equation on the car window until, again, taking a break to consult an invisible timepiece on his wrist.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
The customs officer began speaking to me very fast and pointing—the translator scribbling down notes all the while.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Lanier leaned on his down-home Texas folksiness throughout the trial, telling the jury what was on his heart and scribbling with grease pencil on his demonstrative aids.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
By then, a New York Tribune reporter had arrived and was furiously scribbling into his notepad.
—Charlotte Brooks, Big Think, 13 Mar. 2026
Family members, supporters of the defendants and law enforcement officers sat through hours of closing arguments and instructions to jurors, with some scribbling notes and others dabbing tears from their eyes.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
That means no reporters scribbling down who’s canoodling with whom at the bar.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
As anachronisms constantly threaten to puncture the illusion, the cast stays wry, nimble and self-conscious in order to locate plot points and jokes that reinforce the golden-age radio setting, scribbling notes and introducing characters that propel them through ludicrous narrative arcs.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
The trilogy concluded on April 1 with Fagen scribbling an inscrutable equation on the car window until, again, taking a break to consult an invisible timepiece on his wrist.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
The customs officer began speaking to me very fast and pointing—the translator scribbling down notes all the while.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Lanier leaned on his down-home Texas folksiness throughout the trial, telling the jury what was on his heart and scribbling with grease pencil on his demonstrative aids.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
By then, a New York Tribune reporter had arrived and was furiously scribbling into his notepad.
—Charlotte Brooks, Big Think, 13 Mar. 2026
Family members, supporters of the defendants and law enforcement officers sat through hours of closing arguments and instructions to jurors, with some scribbling notes and others dabbing tears from their eyes.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
That means no reporters scribbling down who’s canoodling with whom at the bar.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scribbling
Verb
-
The act of scrawling them upon the page is tangible and pleasing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Nov. 2025
-
Chalamet invites his Instagram followers to meet him at Regal Times Square to watch the first 30 minutes of Marty Supreme by scrawling the message on his Instagram Story in orange.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Barker worked at Starbucks and spent every free moment writing and shooting.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Barca are 8/15 to score the night’s first goal, but writing Madrid off entirely in any Clasico is rarely advisable.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
More than two months into the Iran war, many analysts are still scratching their heads that wartime leaders in Washington did not plan for an Iranian shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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The two interconnected frame pieces then slid into each other, with handy round rubber stickers on the legs to keep the steel from scratching the floor.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scribbling. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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