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
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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
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Recent Examples of scrappy
His brand is scrappy, by-the-skin-of-our-teeth filmmaking with shoestring budgets and, in early days, iPhones serving as film cameras.
—
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Since medical marijuana was legalized there, an entire industry has sprung up seemingly overnight — scrappy, local, women-focused and driven by a can-do ethos that could only happen in America’s heartland.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
The Timberwolves could try that with a scrappy guard like DiVincenzo, a lanky athletic wing like McDaniels, or even with veteran forward Kyle Anderson, a buyout acquisition who was also pursued by Denver.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
While national parks have big-sibling swagger, state parks bring a scrappy, middle-child energy.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Since medical marijuana was legalized there, an entire industry has sprung up seemingly overnight — scrappy, local, women-focused and driven by a can-do ethos that could only happen in America’s heartland.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
The Timberwolves could try that with a scrappy guard like DiVincenzo, a lanky athletic wing like McDaniels, or even with veteran forward Kyle Anderson, a buyout acquisition who was also pursued by Denver.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
While national parks have big-sibling swagger, state parks bring a scrappy, middle-child energy.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrappy
Adjective
-
Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of aggressive enforcement activities in Chicago and Minneapolis, resigned from the agency.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
That approach, paired with more outreach to Black residents, may help increase the city’s affordable housing stock and close the gap in Black homeownership, though some city council members have urged a more aggressive push on affordable housing.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of aggressive enforcement activities in Chicago and Minneapolis, resigned from the agency.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But let’s set aside the fact for a moment that a sequel might not include some of Jackson’s biggest hits and would instead focus on a controversial moment in the singer’s life that his estate may be unwilling or unable to explore.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Israel has also enjoyed a number of military successes against Iran and its Lebanese proxy, the Hezbollah militant group.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
However, some members of the militant group refused to engage in the peace process from the start.—
Annabella González,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Just getting to this point, with passage out of the House, has been contentious, says Andrew Schmidt, director of governmental affairs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The contentious exchange did not result in a handshake between the Israeli and Palestinian representatives, nor a photo featuring the two, but instead a plea from Infantino for the two nations to take part in an Under-15 tournament organized by FIFA in the future.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
These Knicks still need to close the Hawks out in hostile territory in Game 6.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Extreme recovery conditions The Asse II mine presents a uniquely hostile environment.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Colleges and universities nationwide continue to grapple with polemic issues associated with the fair treatment of individuals of differing backgrounds, political persuasions, and sexuality.—
Blake D. Morant,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This kind of depravity, licentiousness and polemical theatrics has no place on such a traditional and once wholesome presentation of the coming of a new year in our great nation and especially on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and freedom in history.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Australian screen and stage veteran Kate Fitzpatrick plays Becky, a feisty grandmother whose role is so familiar that her banter with geeky Matt across the aisle (Richard Croughley) will later include him good-naturedly dropping a Shelley Winters reference.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Nigerian team was feisty defensively, putting pressure on Minnesota’s offense.—
PJ Green
April 28,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jared Speight is a stubborn titan of Long Island abstraction when star writer Roxy Margaux first becomes infatuated with his bravado.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
-
For concrete or tile, a mild cleaner helps remove the stubborn pollen film that builds up over spring months.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrappy. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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