1
as in dispersion
an act or process in which something scatters or is scattered
the scattering of the protesters suddenly turned violent and chaotic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in handful
a small number
a scattering of people in the mostly empty theater
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dispersing
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
the noise of the backfiring car scattered the pigeons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
the hillside was scattered with boulders deposited by the last ice age
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dissipating
to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole
these drunken revelers will quickly scatter when the police arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scattering
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Overall, the fish has a silvery body with a slight yellow tinge on its upper half and a scattering of small spots.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2024
Cluster artillery popped open, scattering scores of lethal submunitions.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Noun
Start new plants with light scatterings of a general garden fertilizer every other month from February through September.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Overall, the fish has a silvery body with a slight yellow tinge on its upper half and a scattering of small spots.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
Verb
When preparing your impressive dessert spread this holiday season, consider scattering in a few of these limited-time cookies to add a touch of color to your platter.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2024
Cluster artillery popped open, scattering scores of lethal submunitions.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattering
Noun
-
By integrating all relevant data into one place, response times are optimized and the dispersion of information across multiple platforms is avoided.—
Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
-
The state could take advantage of technological trends — remote work, for example — to allow for more population dispersion.—
Joel Kotkin,
The Mercury News,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
At the same time Tracks II dropped, the rocker also shared Lost and Found: Selections from the Lost Albums, a one-disc offering featuring just a handful of Springsteen’s new cuts at a budget price.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Snack smart: Choose snack foods that are good sources of proteins, such as a handful of nuts, seeds, or edamame.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
There are already laws in Florida governing weather modification, which can include cloud seeding—the enhancement of precipitation by dispersing substances into clouds that encourage the formation of rain or snow.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
19 Mar. 2025
-
These pollutants can come from a variety of sources, including vehicle emissions, industrial activity, wildfires, and weather patterns that prevent pollution from dispersing.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
After millions of years of shaping the nation’s grasslands and forests through their feeding habits and seed dispersal, the moa went extinct roughly 150 years after the Māori arrived.—
Andrea Marks,
Rolling Stone,
8 July 2025
-
That was in reference to a stalemate between MLS players and the league over the dispersal of Club World Cup prize money – which is limited due to a clause in the league’s collective bargaining agreement.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
There’s a spiky, strange tenderness to their first encounter, which requires Felix to navigate around burn bandages that cover Jessica’s torso, and the couple’s casual mid-coitus banter testifies to their comfort with each other.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
10 July 2025
-
But much to the couple’s pride and relief, the crash didn’t pull the family apart.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Can’t Look Away, in part, focuses on the Social Media Victims Law Center and its lawsuit against Snapchat on behalf of families whose children met tragic ends after consuming counterfeit prescription drugs acquired through the disappearing messaging app run by parent Snap.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
21 Mar. 2025
-
While remote work isn’t disappearing, the era of full-time remote freedom may be ending for many workers.—
Jason Wingard,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
To date, all items raised from the Titanic have been recovered from within a 15-square-mile debris field — a vast underwater scatter zone formed when the ship broke apart during its final descent.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
So, slot games with scatter ensure a better reward system.—
Matthew Gover,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The choir leaned over him offering words of motivation, and rain doused the flames as Kirk Franklin marched up to a stage beating back smoke with an orange glow, like sunlight dissolving cloud cover.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Even some downstate Republicans oppose the movement, arguing that dissolving townships will lead to tax hikes.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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