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
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Recent Examples of scattering
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
And more than 3,000 other places across the country, plus a scattering around the world.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Dayana Mitchell was solid on the mound for the Yellow Jackets going 6 innings, scattering 7 hits, allowing 2 earned runs with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Noun
Because the observation occurred beyond Earth's atmosphere, the view was not affected by atmospheric scattering or distortion, offering higher contrast and sharper detail.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
And more than 3,000 other places across the country, plus a scattering around the world.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
Moments later, hundreds of golf balls are released, scattering across the fairway toward the target below.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Dayana Mitchell was solid on the mound for the Yellow Jackets going 6 innings, scattering 7 hits, allowing 2 earned runs with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattering
Noun
-
This proprietary approach overcomes challenges of surface treatment and dispersion associated with the material.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Goldman notes that the three-month realized pairwise correlation among the major AI hyperscalers—Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle—has fallen sharply, with rising dispersion among the dominant names.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In a world filled with trillions upon trillions of atoms, spotting a handful that barely exist sounds almost impossible.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Those increases were offset by steep drops in a handful of large states, including Minnesota and Texas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Officers deployed pepper spray and rubber bullets to repel the crowd; a smaller gathering of about 200 people assembled peacefully on Sunday before dispersing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
As the bow and stern sections tore free from one another, the ship's contents were ejected and rained down across the ocean floor, dispersing everything from luggage and dinnerware to engine parts and personal belongings.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nataliia had gone to the bus station, where soldiers were spraying foam to contain the nuclear fallout, and to the hospital, where men in white coats were unloading victims on stretchers from the backs of ambulances.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Keep your refrigerator spick-and-span by washing produce drawers with hot water and soap, and spraying all surfaces down with a disinfecting (but non-toxic and food-friendly) vinegar solution.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The crowd thinned as clouds of dust headed toward Brickell Avenue before dissipating, revealing a sunny, blue sky.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
-
At least, the tension between Jenna and Eddy is dissipating.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What Remains Unknown Zagury noted in her Mongabay interview that much is still unknown — particularly the extent to which toucans actually drive seed dispersal and forest regrowth.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists are continuing to study exactly how much the toucans are driving seed dispersal and long-term forest regrowth.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The couple was picked up by a driver named Javier in a 2023 Kia K5 sedan.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Cisse brings a couple of his own Packers connections to Green Bay.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some suggest sprinkling it on the soil around your plants to keep slugs away, but baking soda has the potential of seeping into the soil and damaging roots.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But in 2026, simply sprinkling in a few whimsical accents isn’t quite enough.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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