scatter

1 of 2

verb

scat·​ter ˈska-tər How to pronounce scatter (audio)
scattered; scattering; scatters
Synonyms of scatter

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to separate widely
b
: to cause to vanish
2
archaic : to fling away heedlessly : squander
3
: to distribute irregularly
4
: to sow by casting in all directions : strew
5
a
: to reflect irregularly and diffusely
b
: to cause (a beam of radiation) to diffuse or disperse
6
: to divide into ineffectual small portions

intransitive verb

1
: to separate and go in various directions : disperse
2
: to occur or fall irregularly or at random
scatterer
ˈska-tər-ər How to pronounce scatter (audio)
noun

scatter

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act of scattering
2
: a small quantity or number irregularly distributed or strewn about : scattering
3
: the state or extent of being scattered
especially : dispersion

Synonyms of scatter

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for scatter

scatter, disperse, dissipate, dispel mean to cause to separate or break up.

scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions.

the bowling ball scattered the pins

disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

Examples of scatter in a Sentence

Verb The wind scattered the pile of leaves. The marbles scattered across the floor. She scattered the books on the table. He scatters his toys all around the house. Noun played before only a scatter of spectators in that huge stadium
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
There have been scattered instances of athletes returning to their previous school for the extra season, including two LSU women’s soccer players who are part of the case. — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 The jacarandas were in full effusion, stately and fragrant, tilting over the streets and scattering petals on the sidewalks. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Noun
Line Islands corals show a similar mean increase but far wider scatter, which the researchers partly attribute to these records’ reliance on oxygen isotopes alone. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 Instead of absorbing light, these arrangements bend and scatter wavelengths in ways that only allow certain hues to remain visible. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scatter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English scateren, schateren to disperse, break up, destroy; akin to Middle Dutch schaderen to scatter

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scatter was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing scatter

Rhymes for scatter

See All Rhymes for scatter

Browse Nearby Words

scatt
scatter
scatterable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scatter. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

scatter

verb
scat·​ter
ˈskat-ər
1
: to cause to separate widely
wind scattered the dry leaves
2
: to place or leave here and there
scattered their toys all over the house
3
: to sow widely and without pattern
4
: to separate and go in different directions
the crowd scattered
5
: to occur or fall without pattern
lakes scattered everywhere in the hills

Medical Definition

scatter

1 of 2 transitive verb
scat·​ter ˈskat-ər How to pronounce scatter (audio)
: to cause (a beam of radiation) to diffuse or disperse

scatter

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act of scattering
2
: the state or extent of being scattered
especially : scattering
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