bestrew

verb

be·​strew bi-ˈstrü How to pronounce bestrew (audio)
bē-
bestrewed; bestrewed or bestrewn bi-ˈstrün How to pronounce bestrew (audio)
bē-
; bestrewing

transitive verb

1
: strew
2
: to lie scattered over

Examples of bestrew in a Sentence

the flower girl delightedly bestrewed the aisle with rose petals
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Home to more than 230 species of plants and a balanced assortment of insects—bees prominent among them—the garden is bestrewn with colorful placards educating summer strollers as to the wonders of pollination and the tiny creatures responsible. Ryan P. Smith, Smithsonian, 17 May 2018 Why, Daedalus wondered, are the world’s cities bestrewed with graffiti even though scientists, years ago, had perfected the porcelain enamel surfaces that make self-cleaning ovens possible? Sam Roberts, New York Times, 30 July 2017

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bestrew was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bestrew

Cite this Entry

“Bestrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bestrew. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bestrew

verb
be·​strew bi-ˈstrü How to pronounce bestrew (audio)
bestrewed; bestrewed or bestrewn -ˈstrün How to pronounce bestrew (audio) ; bestrewing
1
2
: to lie scattered over
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!