1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
ignore the heckler—he's complete scum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dirty
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
the jury was disgusted by the scummy behavior of the defendant in the courtroom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scum
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Infamous Internet imageboard and wretched hive of scum and villainy 4chan was apparently hacked at some point Monday evening and remains mostly unreachable as of this writing.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Apr. 2025
Although these situations are likely inevitable, there’s a simple solution to help achieve a thorough clean without the back-breaking labor that’s usually involved with scrubbing away dirt, grime, and soap scum.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Check the soup periodically and skim off any foam or scum that accumulates on the surface of the broth.
—Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scum
Noun
Hard water stains, soap scum, and everyday grime can accumulate quickly, making even the cleanest bathroom feel less fresh.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Infamous Internet imageboard and wretched hive of scum and villainy 4chan was apparently hacked at some point Monday evening and remains mostly unreachable as of this writing.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Apr. 2025
Although these situations are likely inevitable, there’s a simple solution to help achieve a thorough clean without the back-breaking labor that’s usually involved with scrubbing away dirt, grime, and soap scum.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Check the soup periodically and skim off any foam or scum that accumulates on the surface of the broth.
—Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scum
Adjective
-
Martin Kove as John Kreese Martin Kove played John Kreese, Johnny's karate mentor, who encourages his students to play dirty and harass Daniel.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
1 June 2025
-
The infant was scheduled to be cremated, according to the release, but the body was accidentally taken to Shreveport with a load of dirty linens.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
There was little-to-no doubt Jurgen Klopp’s side were going to defeat Ralf Rangnick’s under-interim-management rabble that day.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
As part of Gabriel’s solution to showing Ansari’s character that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the Hollywood, the well-meaning angel body-swaps him with an uber-rich jerk, played by Seth Rogen.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2025
-
The left horse just wanted to shamble along, while the right horse pulled with frantic jerks.—
Louise Erdrich,
New Yorker,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
-
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Noun
-
In this case, the first task is to acquaint the local populace with the new part-owner and his significance before the franchise can capitalize on his worldwide stature in the sport.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
23 May 2025
-
Whether this research method is an adequate representation of the populace at large is an open question.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
Fans can also look forward to performances by the iconic Silver Spurs Quadrille, the adorable antics of kids competing in Mutton Bustin’, and plenty of laughs courtesy of the ever-entertaining rodeo clowns.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2025
-
His wife, Susan, a sweet woman with short grey hair, worked as a dental hygienist and performed as a clown named Jubilee at hospitals, nursing homes, parties — even the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
ProPublica,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
Matthew Whelan, executive director of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, suggests visiting on a weekday when possible; parking will be easier to find, and beach badges are cheaper ($7/day/person, instead of $10).—
Rachel Chang,
AFAR Media,
2 June 2025
-
Cremation, increasingly popular, is cheaper: good for the customer, less so for the bottom line.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Both of their remains are presumed to have been transported to Hawaii’s trash incinerator.—
Lesley Cosme Torres,
People.com,
6 June 2025
-
Your town may have a trash pickup walk, a Thanksgiving turkey trot or a stroll to historic sites.—
Elizabeth Passarella,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scum. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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