1
as in dispersion
an act or process in which something scatters or is scattered
the scattering of the protesters suddenly turned violent and chaotic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in handful
a small number
a scattering of people in the mostly empty theater
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dispersing
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
the noise of the backfiring car scattered the pigeons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
the hillside was scattered with boulders deposited by the last ice age
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dissipating
to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole
these drunken revelers will quickly scatter when the police arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of scattering
Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
The process minimized unwanted light scattering and allowed the light to penetrate further into the body.
—Alison Snyder, Axios, 5 Sep. 2024
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
Broken glass is dangerous and should be disposed of properly, ideally by scattering it across the nearest bike lane.
—Mark Remy, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scattering 
Noun
Advertisement With a scattering of public and private spaces, downtown Los Angeles is perhaps the most park-poor part of the city.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
The process minimized unwanted light scattering and allowed the light to penetrate further into the body.
—Alison Snyder, Axios, 5 Sep. 2024
Verb
As part of the restoration efforts, members of the Yurok Tribe have been scattering seeds of native plants to restore vegetation on 2,200 acres of reservoir bottomlands that were exposed when the dammed areas were drained.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
Broken glass is dangerous and should be disposed of properly, ideally by scattering it across the nearest bike lane.
—Mark Remy, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattering
Noun
-
More on Climate Work Pritchard also talked about promoting optimal dispersion in large ensemble AI weather predictions, and referenced new papers that bring more detail to the emerging science of using AI to simulate low-likelihood, high-impact climate extremes.John Werner, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
-
For optimal fragrance dispersion, alternate which end of the reeds are submerged in the scent solution once a week.Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Another handful of participants in that program and its antecedents have raised more than $10 million each and/or developed profitable business models.Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 17 Dec. 2024
-
The second is a custodian that's currently providing services to institutional investors in a handful of familiar crypto-assets.Brady Dale, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
However, at El Rosario Sanctuary, monarchs are behaving unpredictably, clustering later than usual and dispersing widely.Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Powerful shear in the upper atmosphere can effectively rip a hurricane apart by dispersing warm air above the eye and allowing cooler, less energetic air to flow in.Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
As police ordered the dispersal, the crowds began moving east, heading toward 8th Street, police said.Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2024
-
The league, financed by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter and born out of the purchase and dispersal of the Premier Hockey Federation that many of the top players refused to join, is thriving so far.Stephen Whyno, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
The show, which revolves around three families competing to buy the same Los Angeles house—as well as the couple trying to sell the house, Paul and Lydia Morgan, is a black comedy from Dead to Me creator Liz Feldman.Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Gomez captioned an Instagram carousel showing off her ring, and the happy couple embracing.Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
From repurposing parking lots to the specter of tariffs, disappearing pharmacies, and helping to ease the nation’s housing shortage, there are no lack of challenges and opportunities to be mulled over at this week’s ICSC New York convention.David Moin, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Some applications, like Signal, have the option of disappearing messages.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
When the moon moves into the inner part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, according to NASA, some of the sunlight entering Earth's skies scatters before reaching the moon's surface.Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Earth's atmosphere also bends and scatters sunlight, filtering out most of the blue light and allowing the red hues to reach the Moon's surface.Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024
Verb
-
But over the course of the pair’s tour of Poland to visit their late grandmother’s ancestral home, Benji’s flippant manner keeps dissolving to reveal internal conflict and profound melancholy.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
-
These solvents are used for dissolving the organic materials that make up the solar cell.Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near scattering
Cite this Entry
“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share