1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
she was a scrappy girl despite—or, perhaps, because of—her small size
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversial
given to arguing
a pair of scrappy movie critics who can never agree on anything
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 scrappy
By the same token, the eye-rolling flirtation between scrappy reporter Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) and über-ditz Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) might have worked better in a film less determined to look for the best in people.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
Corenswet’s funny, scrappy rapport with Rachel Brosnahan’s whip-smart Lois Lane — possibly the sharpest and most captivating interpretation of the ace Daily Planet reporter since Margot Kidder — makes their every scene together a delight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Red-hot Canada will take on scrappy and confident Guatemala in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
The creator economy is no longer a scrappy side hustle or a chaotic collection of one-person operations filming videos in basements.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
Corenswet’s funny, scrappy rapport with Rachel Brosnahan’s whip-smart Lois Lane — possibly the sharpest and most captivating interpretation of the ace Daily Planet reporter since Margot Kidder — makes their every scene together a delight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Red-hot Canada will take on scrappy and confident Guatemala in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
The creator economy is no longer a scrappy side hustle or a chaotic collection of one-person operations filming videos in basements.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrappy
Adjective
-
With that in mind, it's expected the Dodgers will be very aggressive at the trade deadline.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
Turkeys may become aggressive and territorial if comfortable in suburban areas.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
Paxton, the controversial state attorney general who survived an impeachment trial last year, is running against long-serving Senator John Cornyn.—
Karlyn Bowman,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Netflix's latest Trainwreck documentary revisits the controversial Balloon Boy saga that captivated the nation.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023, according to rights groups.—
Ali Sawafta,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
-
Buhari vowed to do more to fight militant groups and fix the economy as the demonstrations turned deadly and continued to simmer for the remainder of his presidency.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Earlier this year, Trump paused weapons shipments to Ukraine after a contentious meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
With billions allocated for new hiring, the scale of ICE's growth could reshape immigration enforcement for years to come and will likely remain at the center of a contentious national debate.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Forced to work in a more hostile environment than.when it was first established in 2019, the mission faces limited options for evacuations due to the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights, and mobility, because of gangs’ ongoing gang encirclement of Port-au-Prince.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
-
From retail shops to corner bodegas and independent grocery stores, the past few years have not only forced small business owners to confront staggering economic challenges, but also a needlessly hostile regulatory environment brought on by out-of-touch policymakers.—
Tosha Miller,
New York Daily News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
But earth sign parents can also lean toward being stubborn and strict, which may cause friction during a stand off or while navigating discipline or tough conversations.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
15 July 2025
-
If using for very stubborn stains, use Oxy Bleach powder, which will be gentler and less destructive.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Larsson feisty: Larsson closed out his summer stint with another quality effort, one that included a first-quarter four-point play as part of his 14-point first half.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 July 2025
-
Neither tactic worked there, but Kyrgios clearly relishes having overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas in a feisty encounter during his 2022 Wimbledon campaign.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrappy. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share