as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
a hodgepodge of scattered ideas that didn't add up to a clear hypothesis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dispersed
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 sprayed
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 dissipated
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
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Recent Examples of scattered
Cutter Martin, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
And in legislative committees and in debate on Wednesday, sponsors of the new requirement didn’t cite evidence of more than scattered cases in which non-citizens may have voted.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during anti-government rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during antigovernment rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Instead of building individual homes on scattered sites, Reclaiming Chicago aims to transform whole neighborhoods at once, sometimes taking over large vacant lots and planting groups of more than 100 affordable homes.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More scattered sleet, snow and ice are expected for the afternoon, before widespread precipitation is predicted to return Saturday night.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Its fractured, scattered form, grasping for structure instead of pretending to master it, is an attempt to build a future that will include both author and reader.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Luis Jaime Acosta, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
The billboards scattered across the city arrive as speculation grows that the singer is planning to host a series of comeback concerts.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
Most of the players whom Donovan had spent the last four years pouring into were scattered across the country in new jerseys.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Each bride’s dress has been billowed out and arranged around her in a circle, and these white figures are scattered at irregular intervals throughout the green field.
—Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
These smaller hubs scattered across downtown fostered a level of intimacy among attendees.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Images from the scene showed debris scattered across the yard.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Other sacred temples, ancient shrines, and spiritual sites are scattered throughout, integrated in the park’s natural forest and river landscapes, making Phnom Kulen a unique cultural, archaeological, and ecological site.
—Jasmine Ting, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
The second installment of Rooster is more scattered than the first one, as the run time is spent rapidly checking in with multiple supporting characters, resulting in a fractured focus.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Earlier sunshine way to clouds and scattered rain as the first, in a series, of passing systems brings brief wet weather to Maryland.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
And in legislative committees and in debate on Wednesday, sponsors of the new requirement didn’t cite evidence of more than scattered cases in which non-citizens may have voted.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during anti-government rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2026
The scattered protests erupted Saturday at universities following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during antigovernment rallies.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Instead of building individual homes on scattered sites, Reclaiming Chicago aims to transform whole neighborhoods at once, sometimes taking over large vacant lots and planting groups of more than 100 affordable homes.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More scattered sleet, snow and ice are expected for the afternoon, before widespread precipitation is predicted to return Saturday night.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Radiohead’s European run — hitting Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin — was a triumph, aside from some scattered grumbling about the in-the-round stage setup and descending screens that sometimes obscured the band early on.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
Its fractured, scattered form, grasping for structure instead of pretending to master it, is an attempt to build a future that will include both author and reader.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Verb
More than 20 people died in that incident, and another 30 were injured, and banknotes from the plane's cargo scattered around the crash site, prompting clashes between residents and security forces.
—Luis Jaime Acosta, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
The billboards scattered across the city arrive as speculation grows that the singer is planning to host a series of comeback concerts.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
Most of the players whom Donovan had spent the last four years pouring into were scattered across the country in new jerseys.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Each bride’s dress has been billowed out and arranged around her in a circle, and these white figures are scattered at irregular intervals throughout the green field.
—Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
These smaller hubs scattered across downtown fostered a level of intimacy among attendees.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Images from the scene showed debris scattered across the yard.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Other sacred temples, ancient shrines, and spiritual sites are scattered throughout, integrated in the park’s natural forest and river landscapes, making Phnom Kulen a unique cultural, archaeological, and ecological site.
—Jasmine Ting, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
The second installment of Rooster is more scattered than the first one, as the run time is spent rapidly checking in with multiple supporting characters, resulting in a fractured focus.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattered
Adjective
-
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The sentence, arrived at via a sequence of random numbers thrown out by the group itself, begins the eighth paragraph of page 432 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the school, Shaker Araqa lamented how his extended family has been dispersed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Hundreds of people were dispersed and two parents were arrested after an out-of-control Rancho Santa Fe house party spilled into the street Saturday night, sheriff’s officials said.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Shortly after Monarez took office, a gunman driven by distrust in vaccines attacked the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters, firing more than 180 rounds that sprayed multiple buildings and killed DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Homes and cars were set ablaze, Palestinians were pepper-sprayed and at least five people were wounded in the overnight assaults, which took place during the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the agency said.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Speaking over the phone from Los Angeles while packing his bag ahead of flying back home to Copenhagen, Borenstein says the shock hasn’t quite dissipated yet.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The crushing anticipation of suddenly losing their job has mostly dissipated, even as Indiana’s public universities face similar restrictions from state leaders as Texas’ schools.—
Milla Surjadi,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In a show where the judging is often accused of being arbitrary, the makeover is considered the worst offender.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The shifting explanations, the defense argues, suggest the decision may have been arbitrary.—
Antonio MarÃa Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Plentiful other allusions suggest the wait may not be too painful; the long breadcrumb trail, sprinkled throughout 2025, gives the impression OR3 is just waiting to burst out of her.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
23 Mar. 2026
-
And while there have always been casual Caribbean restaurants and mom-and-pops sprinkled about—until quite recently, fine dining from the region wasn’t really a thing.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then the firm took its fee and disappeared.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Today, that sense of place has largely disappeared as a new generation of artists is treating the internet itself as source material.—
Keegan Brady,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Rain chances remain slim, with only stray shower chances for the middle of the workweek.—
Shane Hinton,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The city is also launching its Clip and Snip Community Pet Clinic, a mobile unit staffed by veterinarians who will perform spaying and neutering on cats and dogs in areas where stray populations are high.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattered. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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