1
as in masses
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class
claimed that only scum lived in that part of town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
ignore the heckler—he's complete scum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scum
Regular cleaning with vinegar can remove the minerals, remove water spots, soap scum, and kill any bacteria that might be growing in the warm, humid environment inside the showerhead.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Apr. 2026
When his team returned to the deep-sea site, however, its brilliant colors were smothered under a blanket of fluffy gray scum.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Our editors tested over a dozen shower cleaners to find the ones that are most effective at removing soap scum and water stains.
—Josh Feldman, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
Oftentimes, these blue-green algae overgrowths appear as blue, green, or brown scum along the surface of water.
—Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scum
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Apr. 2026
When his team returned to the deep-sea site, however, its brilliant colors were smothered under a blanket of fluffy gray scum.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Our editors tested over a dozen shower cleaners to find the ones that are most effective at removing soap scum and water stains.
—Josh Feldman, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
Oftentimes, these blue-green algae overgrowths appear as blue, green, or brown scum along the surface of water.
—Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scum
Noun
-
How dare the lowly rabble at Fenway Park treat our esteemed mayor and governor with such disrespect!—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
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There’s a rabble-rousing politician with grievances galore.—
Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There’s an almost-friendship-ending rift over husbands (Brent Thiessen is Cee Cee’s, a cool-guy theater director; Ben Jacoby is Bertie’s, a rich jerk) that feels deeply dated and, in the context of the women’s tell-each-other-everything friendship, just plain weird.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The jerk chicken is rubbed in a sweet honey glaze.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fishback, on the other hand, stands strongly opposed to these corporate interests while remaining electable to the general populace.—
Thomas C. Shank,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Barak was cognizant of how the Arab populace would perceive Israeli involvement.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s some Streisand, too, and a big dose of Andrea Martin, specifically Martin’s signature SCTV character Edith Prickley, that bawdy, gawdy ham with all the bravado of a Catskills clown.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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Once completed, the $5 million acquisition will ensure the theater has a permanent home, a place where skateboarding clowns and leek-haired onions can continue to frolic and dance for decades to come.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Colorado emergency responders closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 76 on Friday morning after a fatal crash the Colorado State Patrol said involved a trash truck and a pedestrian.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Another 10 gathered on plastic trash and one was on an unused steam table.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In recent years, Ed Sheeran slipped behind the counter, gamely slinging dogs and taking his fair share of abuse from the staff.—
Jimmy Jellinek,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
-
During the day, McKinley Park is filled with activity, from dog walkers and joggers to families enjoying the outdoors.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All that loot pumped out of the Armenian proletariat, says the gaur, and for what.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Severin, on the other hand, represents the revolutionary proletariat.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the United States, dogs can get rabies if they are exposed to infected bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Cicadas are a good food source for animals like birds, foxes, skunks and raccoons.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scum. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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