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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrappy
The tech boom was fueled by scrappy startups that catered to their workers’ dreams of changing the world for the better.
—
Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
Arkansas’ offense leaned on Davis, who took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four just two years ago, to create offense against a scrappy Texas Tech defense.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
Or a scrappy politician 31 years her junior who is immersed in local issues and knows the inner workings of City Hall?
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025
But with John Calipari on the sideline and a roster full of top-end talent, Arkansas is hardly a scrappy longshot.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
Arkansas’ offense leaned on Davis, who took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four just two years ago, to create offense against a scrappy Texas Tech defense.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
Or a scrappy politician 31 years her junior who is immersed in local issues and knows the inner workings of City Hall?
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025
But with John Calipari on the sideline and a roster full of top-end talent, Arkansas is hardly a scrappy longshot.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrappy
Adjective
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The prison has become a symbol of Bukele's aggressive policies that have targeted gang violence.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Young has struggled against the Heat’s aggressive defense in recent years.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Bezos was also behind The Washington Post’s controversial decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2025
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Cholesterol and Heart Health The keto diet's effects on cholesterol levels and heart health remain controversial.—
Melissa Nieves,
Verywell Health,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And in Lebanon, a series of Israeli attacks on the country have decapitated the militant group Hezbollah.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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The group wrote to Bondi to argue that the influencer should be investigated over whether she has been paid to spread propaganda for Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in Gaza, it was first reported by the New York Post.—
Lauren Irwin,
The Hill,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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However, all three of these studies come from a closely affiliated group of researchers, are based on the same dataset tracking maternal health, and use contentious measures of both IQ and fluoride exposure.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
9 Apr. 2025
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Policies around taxes, the federal budget and migration were widely seen as contentious points among the parties.—
Sophie Kiderlin,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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John Shine described to me a research trip to the hostile mountain environs of Tasmania, where snakes stay under cover except for the 20 or 30 warm days each year.—
Stephen S. Hall,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
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Union members shared other experiences and stories, including those of an increasingly hostile work environment for some.—
Molly Guthrey,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Traders do see the Fed cutting in June, but much can change between now and then, and a stubborn central bank could set off Trump again.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2025
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The most glaring of those misses came against Arsenal in October, with Bournemouth trying to break down a stubborn defence following William Saliba’s dismissal.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Through an unlikely friendship with a feisty stray dog, Charlie discovers that family comes in many forms — and that sometimes, wishes do come true.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
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The large bird, maybe feeling a little hangry, responds to the visitors' curiosity by leaning in and giving the former prime minister a feisty peck on the hand.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrappy. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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