scattering 1 of 2

noun

ˈska-tə-riŋ How to pronounce scattering (audio)
Definition of scatteringnext
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

scattering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of scatter
1
as in dispersing
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart the noise of the backfiring car scattered the pigeons

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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
Noun
The shiny brioche bun from Peter Sciortino Bakery squishes just right, hugging a healthy swipe of sinus-clearing horseradish mayo and a scattering of pickled onions underneath. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026 But thanks to atmospheric light scattering — the bouncing of photons off particles in the air — the area affected by the mirror's passage would be much wider, the study found. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
One breakthrough leading into that period of acclaim was Ferrer’s 1968 guerrilla action involving driving 87 bushels of fall leaves from Philadelphia to New York in a pickup truck, and scattering them in front of art institutions. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Fall Fern Care Tips During fall, consider scattering fallen leaves around your ferns before the first frost of the season. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scattering
  1. dispersion
  2. handful
  3. dispersing
  4. spraying
  5. dissipating
  6. dispersal
  7. couple
  8. sprinkling
Noun
  • Geographic dispersion might seem inefficient to a company that only considers its typical operating costs.
    — Todd J. Stein, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The initiative will bring together computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with digital twins to rapidly model ammonia dispersion following a leak.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispersion
Noun
  • Rugged island Flores, located in the southeast of the Indonesian archipelago, is one of a handful of islands in the world’s most populous Muslim nation with a Christian majority, with 80% of its two million inhabitants identifying as Roman Catholic.
    — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 22 Oct. 2026
  • That’s 35% of the value of the S&P 500 and the highest concentration in a handful of stocks since just before the crash of 1929.
    — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of handful
Verb
  • In contrast, peregrine falcons that breed in Alaska migrate almost directly south, dispersing across the Americas to wintering grounds that extend as far as southern South America.
    — Amy L. Scarpignato, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Israeli troops later arrived in Abu Falah and drove up to the village after dispersing the crowd in the olive groves.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispersing
Verb
  • What’s less known is that indoor activity — cooking, keeping pets, burning candles and spraying perfumes — generates pollutants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Jennings adds.
    — Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The couple then began screaming and spraying one of the children with a bottle of cologne, police say.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of spraying
Verb
  • During the filming of an explosion scene featuring him alongside his co-star Leonard Nimoy, the stage doors were accidentally left closed, preventing the blast from dissipating properly.
    — Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The storm then roared into Alabama with tropical-force winds before dissipating farther north.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of dissipating
Noun
  • However, the mural was detached and transferred to canvas in 1899 following the dispersal of the estate and then divided into eight fragments.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In Silver’s view, talent dispersal is a good thing, and proof the CBA is working as intended.
    — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispersal
Noun
  • She was represented by an attorney, and, as is standard in surrogacy cases, there was an agreement — a contract — between the French couple and the woman.
    — Jim Defede, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the couple for more information on Becca’s cancer diagnosis and her upcoming treatment.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of couple
Verb
  • The comet becomes a kind of cosmic litterbug, sprinkling dust and debris along its orbit.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Huberman occasionally mentions other potential peptide risks, like cancer, sprinkling them into advice on how to take them.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkling

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scattering
scatterings
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Cite this Entry

“Scattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scattering. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scattering

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