as in handful
a small number
played before only a scatter of spectators in that huge stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to disperse
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
3
as in to dissipate
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scatter
Houman Barekat, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
My air purifiers’ internal sensors, some using the same technology as my air quality monitors—a tiny chamber where a beam of light scatters picking up the particulates, even the invisible PM 2.5—automatically cranked up their fans.
—Lisa Wood Shapiro, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2024
Skyler Caruso, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
As such, the paper authors looked to the readings of 650 portable geophones scattered around Yellowstone’s roads, which revealed its seismic activity in sharper detail.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scatter
Noun
At several points, the action pauses and an ensemble of actors in Edwardian dress scatters around the deck in panic, wearing Titanic-style life vests that foreshadow the play’s catastrophic climax.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
My air purifiers’ internal sensors, some using the same technology as my air quality monitors—a tiny chamber where a beam of light scatters picking up the particulates, even the invisible PM 2.5—automatically cranked up their fans.
—Lisa Wood Shapiro, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
The vlogger took her followers inside her fitting, panning to a room filled with a massive amount of clothes and accessories scattered around the floor and lining the walls, including faux fur boots, tutu statement skirts, vintage designer and oversized western leathers.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
As such, the paper authors looked to the readings of 650 portable geophones scattered around Yellowstone’s roads, which revealed its seismic activity in sharper detail.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scatter
Noun
-
Both West Virginia and California have passed laws to ban a handful of food dyes from school lunches, with plans to extend the ban to a broader, statewide level too.—
Sony Salzman,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2025
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However, unlike the 2017 overhaul, House Republicans and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) only have a small majority to work with, meaning only a handful of votes can be lost.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Eos is predicted to disperse, or photodissociate, as a result of background photons impacting the cloud's molecules, in about 5.7 million years' time.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Given how many people were still waiting two and a half hours after they were told to disperse, maybe this is a good reminder for her that she’s reached a level of fame where a performance in the park is probably never gonna be a walk in the park to coordinate.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Most importantly, don’t buy pesticides and spray your backyard to get rid of them, said Kritsky.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Activists elsewhere have set fire to Tesla charging stations, scrawled swastikas into Tesla vehicles and sprayed graffiti on dealerships.—
Heather Knight,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Global conflicts over scarce resources will dissipate, giving way to a new era of peace and abundance.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The story doesn’t resolve so much as dissipate, in a series of almost comically perfunctory twists, reversals, and whispers of geopolitical peril.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The couple got married on March 23, 1985, in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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On the second day of their visit, the outlet shared that the couple would spend time with local schoolchildren for outdoor learning.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Rosemary bonded with Kennedy’s larger-than-life second wife, Eleanora, who was almost a decade younger than Rosemary, but acted as her fairy godmother, sprinkling money and sisterly advice.—
Susannah Cahalan,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2025
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Rainbow and trans flags could be seen sprinkled throughout the crowd, along with a dozen or so Moms for Liberty shirts.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The blood trail continues for a few feet then disappears.—
Megan Kelly Brown,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
If gate donations continue to decline, street festivals will continue to shrink or simply disappear.—
Pamela Maass,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With cranes dotting the skyline and modern buildings materializing everywhere, one uniquely sweet reminder of a simpler Boise remains downtown.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Apr. 2025
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The Scribe's notebook tool features 18 different page templates, such as lined, graph, and dotted paper, along with weekly planners and musical tablature.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scatter. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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