SCUM Synonyms: 151 Similar and Opposite Words

scum

noun

ˈskəm

Definition of scum

as in masses

people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class claimed that only scum lived in that part of town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in bastard

a person whose behavior is offensive to others ignore the heckler—he's complete scum

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 scum Hard water stains, soap scum, and everyday grime can accumulate quickly, making even the cleanest bathroom feel less fresh. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 July 2026 In 1913, Antonino Alati left southern Italy to find a better life in a land where many people regarded him as little better than scum. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 1 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 Want to take a dip but daunted by the scum and detritus on your pool's walls, floors, and surfaces? — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for scum

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scum

Noun

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
At the same time, Democratic leaders, backed by a rabble, stormed City Hall and seized control of the local government.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026

Definition of rabble

Noun

Led and inspired by Chef Wayne Sharpe, this fast Jamaican restaurant serves iconic island meals like jerk chicken, jerk shrimp, vegan jerk, pineapple plantains, rice and peas, and Jamaican patties.

— Alexandra Phelps July 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Bates plans to expand that menu in the new brick-and-mortar restaurant, adding dishes like jerk catfish pasta and Louisiana Cajun cream sauce over dirty rice.

— Joey Schamber, jsonline.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of jerk

Noun

Their past two victories against Switzerland and Egypt came with the help of controversial calls that had the soccer-watching populace buzzing about potential favoritism toward Argentina.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Trump’s decision to deploy these soldiers has thoroughly spooked a populace that already distrusts the president.

— Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

Definition of populace

Noun

Perhaps most astonishingly, the movie manages to make creepy clowns — that shopworn trope — genuinely frightening again.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
The group demonstrated near the Washington Monument and was met by a few counter protestors, one of which played clown music throughout the majority of the demonstration.

— Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of clown

Noun

The case broke open when a Grapevine detective obtained a covert DNA sample from soda bottles in Brown’s trash in Colorado.

— Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2026
When the case was reopened, detectives worked with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado, where Brown was living at the time, to obtain DNA from soda bottles found in his trash.

— Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Definition of trash

Noun

On Saturday, rescue crews aided by dogs and detectors found signs of life, confirming that at least one survivor was still trapped beneath the rubble.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
Most famously, in 1966 the trophy was found underneath a hedge by a dog called Pickles a week after thieves had taken it from Westminster Central Hall, London, following England’s victory.

— Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of dog

Noun

On Martha’s Vineyard, a low-lying fence with chicken wire is installed seasonally at the entrance of a key breeding site for oystercatchers and other seabirds and shorebirds, which has kept skunks and raccoons that eat their eggs off the beach.

— Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Very Rivian also means yeti graphics on its vehicles, and Easter eggs like a frog and skunk underneath the washer fluid cover up front.

— Greg Migliore, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026