Definition of scumnext

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 scum According to Knoll, a baking soda paste is ideal for particularly stubborn areas of soap scum—though not a method that should be employed too frequently. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 25 July 2026 Politicians who supported him on all but one issue are referred to as scum or worse. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026 People didn’t really understand our stories, but nonetheless, we were labeled scum. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026 The acid in vinegar will help cut through soap scum on glass and acrylic doors, resulting in a sparkling shine. Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for scum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scum
Noun
  • Abdul El-Sayed, a rabble-rousing populist and former public health official, just barely eked out a primary victory Tuesday in Michigan over a centrist rival who was the pick of Washington Democrats to keep a must-hold Senate seat.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Their tardiness, which saw the start delayed by half an hour, was continued on the field with India looking like a rabble in the face of the onslaught from Buttler and Brook.
    Paul Newman, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Noun
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Kris and Billy watch that one together in an intimate sleepover, sinking into the murky texture of a scene in which the virginal actor allowed a jerk to take off her clothes.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • This is where the irrationality of antisemitic conspiracy gains no purchase among a reasoning and pragmatic populace; where government is led by people who grasp, and embrace, the seriousness of their responsibilities.
    Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Since the 1700s, Jamaica’s populace has been dominated by the descendants of African slaves.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • An Illinois teen has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly committing a deadly stabbing attack while dressed in a clown outfit.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Tyquan Thornton Tyquan Thornton is not only known for being a speedster, with one of the fastest combine times in history, but a class clown as well.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Debris Tree limbs, broken glass, metal, trash, or other materials could fall into or around the water during a storm.
    Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2026
  • That amount of waste would fill roughly 440,000 curbside trash bins.
    Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, had a number of dogs throughout their life.
    Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Things get increasingly bleak, as the family dog’s heart medicine runs out and Jason has to put him out of his misery, and then — in doomsday prepper mode — carves up the body and puts it in the freezer just in case food gets dire.
    William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • All that loot pumped out of the Armenian proletariat, says the gaur, and for what.
    Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Severin, on the other hand, represents the revolutionary proletariat.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Rabies is spread by the bite or scratch of an infected animal, such as a groundhog, cat, fox, raccoon, skunk or bat.
    Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Alternative Methods to Keep Skunks Away There are a few methods to try for deterring skunks.
    The Spruce, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scum. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on scum

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster