often attributive
1
scraps plural
: fragments of discarded or leftover food
2
a
: a small detached piece
a scrap of paper
b
: a fragment of something written, printed, or spoken
scraps of conversation
c
: the least bit
not a scrap of evidence
3
4
a
: fragments of stock removed in manufacturing
b
: manufactured articles or parts rejected or discarded and useful only as material for reprocessing
especially
: waste and discarded metal
scrapped; scrapping
1
: to convert into scrap
2
: to abandon or get rid of as no longer of enough worth or effectiveness to retain
scrap outworn methods
Synonyms
Noun (1)
Verb (1)
- cashier
- cast (off)
- chuck
- deep-six
- discard
- ditch
- dump
- eighty-six
- 86
- exorcise
- exorcize
- fling (off or away)
- jettison
- junk
- lay by
- lose
- pitch
- reject
- shed
- shuck (off)
- slough (off)
- sluff (off)
- throw away
- throw out
- toss
- unload
Noun (2)
- altercation
- argle-bargle [chiefly British]
- argument
- argy-bargy [chiefly British]
- battle royal
- bicker
- brawl
- contretemps
- controversy
- cross fire
- disagreement
- dispute
- donnybrook
- falling-out
- fight
- hassle
- imbroglio
- kickup
- misunderstanding
- quarrel
- rhubarb
- row
- set-to
- spat
- squabble
- tiff
- wrangle
Verb (2)
Examples of scrap in a Sentence
Noun (1)
only a scrap of silk was left on the sewing table after they had finished the project
a scrap of paper fluttered to the floor
brushed away a scrap of lint
the rest of this stuff is just scrap, so sweep it up and throw it away
Verb (1)
we've decided to scrap the second car
we scrapped our plans to go to Paris, and set out the next day for Prague
Noun (2)
the state legislature's annual scrap over the budget
several drunken revelers were involved in a scrap outside of the nightclub
Verb (2)
the young couple often scrapped about money and their very disparate spending habits
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024
Bread This is where scraps of bread or days-old bread come in handy.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Axios, 21 Dec. 2024
What's New Provisions aimed at limiting American investments in certain Chinese industries were scrapped from a temporary spending bill negotiated to avert a government shutdown.
—Martha McHardy, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scrap 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
After June has taken off with one of her newsboys, Rose, grasping at any scrap of opportunity, forces Louise, who has so far been awkward and reticent, into stripping.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024
Bread This is where scraps of bread or days-old bread come in handy.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
All of those provisions were scrapped when Elon Musk and President-elect Trump tanked the bill.
—Axios, 21 Dec. 2024
What's New Provisions aimed at limiting American investments in certain Chinese industries were scrapped from a temporary spending bill negotiated to avert a government shutdown.
—Martha McHardy, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scrap
Dictionary Entries Near scrap
Cite this Entry
“Scrap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrap. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scrap
2 of 4 verb
scrapped; scrapping
1
: to break up into scrap
2
: to discard as worthless
scrap
3 of 4 nounEtymology
Noun
Middle English scrap "discarded bits of food"; of Norse origin
Noun
origin unknown
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