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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversial
given to arguing
a pair of scrappy movie critics who can never agree on anything
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 scrappy
However, the downside of being a scrappy underdog is that Nebula's total video offerings are far more limited by comparison.
—
PCMAG, 7 Jan. 2025
At 17-15, the scrappy Heat are currently the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
There, residents struggle to consistently access nutritious food, so volunteers have started the scrappy operation to hand out food and toys purchased by the organizers themselves, as a way to help a community dealing with food insecurity.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2024
The scrappy but small Tanner Howe didn’t look like a fit at the net-front early.
—Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scrappy 
PCMAG, 7 Jan. 2025
At 17-15, the scrappy Heat are currently the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
There, residents struggle to consistently access nutritious food, so volunteers have started the scrappy operation to hand out food and toys purchased by the organizers themselves, as a way to help a community dealing with food insecurity.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2024
The scrappy but small Tanner Howe didn’t look like a fit at the net-front early.
—Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scrappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrappy
Adjective
-
Take London, which was a clear hotspot (and will continue to be, for some time): Mandarin Oriental opened its second spot in the capital, barely minutes in a limo from its existing Knightsbridge perch, while Maybourne’s soon-to-be aggressive expansion was teed up by the arrival of the sleek Emory.Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The state has been one of the most aggressive collectors of income taxes paid based on the number of workdays high earners spend there.Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Exactly who gets to determine when Ramadan begins and ends is controversial.Jamie Carter, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
-
Such matters could include approval of repeating expenditures, liens on delinquent members, routine contract renewals, or anything else which is not expected to be controversial.Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The attacker, a U.S. citizen who had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group, was fatally shot in a firefight with police.Jack Brook and Sara Cline, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
-
Still, many Democrats are likely to object to the measure, especially more progressive lawmakers who have raised concerns about Israel’s devastating war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, where more than 46,000 people have died.Brad Dress, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The change would weaken legislative control and give Wisconsinites more direct input on contentious policies.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
-
The map of the area today has been drawn by a convoluted history of interstate wars, outside interference, contentious politics within both the Israeli and Palestinian communities, and aborted attempts at a peaceful resolution.Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Both saw themselves as outsiders in a hostile environment.Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
-
In public, her tics are often met with stares and whispers — or at worst, hostile confrontations — from nearby strangers.Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The stubborn machine has won, and politicians are, for the most part, just fodder, which means that every politician who has to stand in front of a camera after a tragedy turns into another battle site in an endless culture war.Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
-
The bigger question is what happens if the economy, and in particular the labor market, weakens while inflation remains stubborn.Ben Casselman, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
And the feisty Mayfield willed his offense toward effectiveness, scrambling seven times for 61 yards (finishing with a career-high 68 rushing yards) while also delivering two touchdown passes.Mike Jones, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
-
The altercation with Bumrah on a feisty first day at the SCG was a case in point.Tim Ellis, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near scrappy
Cite this Entry
“Scrappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrappy. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share