scatter
Americanverb (used with object)
-
scatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scattered,
past participle, past
-
scattering
present participle
-
to throw loosely about; distribute at irregular intervals.
to scatter seeds.
- Synonyms:
- broadcast
-
to separate and drive off in various directions; disperse.
to scatter a crowd.
-
Physics.
-
to refract or diffract (light or otherelectromagnetic radiation ) irregularly so as to diffuse in many directions.
-
(of a medium) to diffuse or deflect (light or other wave phenomena) by collisions between the wave and particles of the medium.
-
verb (used without object)
-
scatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scattered,
past participle, past
-
scattering
present participle
noun
-
scatters
plural
-
the act of scattering.
-
something that is scattered.
verb
-
(tr) to throw about in various directions; strew
-
to separate and move or cause to separate and move in various directions; disperse
-
to deviate or cause to deviate in many directions, as in the diffuse reflection or refraction of light
noun
-
the act of scattering
-
a substance or a number of objects scattered about
Synonym Usage
See sprinkle. Scatter, dispel, disperse, dissipate imply separating and driving something away so that its original form disappears. To scatter is to separate something tangible into parts at random, and drive these in different directions: The wind scattered leaves all over the lawn. To dispel is to drive away or scatter usually intangible things so that they vanish or cease to exist: Photographs of the race dispelled all doubts as to which horse won. To disperse is usually to cause a compact or organized tangible body to separate or scatter in different directions, to be reassembled if desired: Tear gas dispersed the mob. To dissipate is usually to scatter by dissolving or reducing to small atoms or parts that cannot be brought together again: He dissipated his money and his energy in useless activities.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
scattersimple
-
scatterssimple
-
have scatteredperfect
-
has scatteredperfect
-
am scatteringprogressive
-
are scatteringprogressive
-
is scatteringprogressive
-
have been scatteringperfect progressive
-
has been scatteringperfect progressive
Past
-
scatteredsimple
-
had scatteredperfect
-
was scatteringprogressive
-
were scatteringprogressive
-
had been scatteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scatter
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English scatere; compare Dutch schateren “to burst out laughing”
Explanation
If you hear someone shout "Everybody scatter!” that person wants everyone to spread out and leave the area. Scatter is a verb that means "to separate suddenly and spread out in different directions." Scatter is sometimes used as a noun to refer to something that has been scattered. If you have clothes strewn all over your room, you might say there is a scatter of clothes on the floor. More commonly, though, scatter is used as a verb meaning “to spread about.” You might scatter grass seed on your front lawn in the spring. Scatter can also mean “break up or disperse.” The police, for instance, might scatter an unruly mob or gathering.
Vocabulary lists containing scatter
Beowulf vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Bronx Masquerade
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Clarke says the effect can be made even cosier by pairing lighting with soft furnishings, such as floor-to-ceiling curtains and scatter cushions in different colours and patterns.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Finish: Rest at least 15 minutes, then scatter with scallions or chives.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
That disruption can scatter electrons and erase some of the performance gains engineers are trying to achieve.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
Relatives of the victims scatter flower petals from a damaged building as the procession passes below.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
“We just figured you might like to meet some of the kids before they scatter to the four winds for the summer,” Hattie Mae said.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
"These measurements are extremely difficult because carbon is a small and lightweight atom. It scatters very few X-rays, so the signal we needed to measure was quite faint."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
She first scatters AA-size batteries, pens and scissors on the table, and walks back to the nearby control rig to make the robot arms place each one inside the tray of a desk organizer.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
"This atomic disorder limits performance because it traps and scatters electrons, much like potholes slowing traffic on a highway," describes Dr. Dongqi Li from TU Dresden.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 4, 2026
Martinez scatters ceramic roses across the painting, a mordant honorific to past glory and current hopes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
The first scatters of rain were beginning to fall, pattering into the oak leaves and pricking the bare pink skin inside their ears.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
The scattered survivors can loosely be grouped into two categories: “Swiss Family Robinson” and “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
They grow about a centimeter or two a year and by sampling cores at the millimeter scale, the team was able to develop windows of monthly temperature records scattered across the past millennium.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Police have been patrolling the entrance of the hospital, and the glass from shattered windows lay scattered on the pavement mixed with medical masks.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Curry’s performance is even more impressive given his limited screen time — his scattered appearances as Pennywise total less than 20 minutes over a three-hour running time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
The coast was edged with dead plants, and the rocks were scattered with dead fish.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
Sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere is scattered, with shorter blue wavelengths scattering more easily, while more of the longer wavelength red light reached the Moon.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
A police pursuit early Wednesday through Los Angeles ended in dramatic fashion when the fleeing vehicle smashed into a row of parked cars, injuring the driver and scattering glass and debris across the road.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
I’ve topped bowls with butter-soaked, cardamom-dusted sourdough croutons, a simple scattering of pistachios, granola and even dried coconut flakes, and each has worked beautifully.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
This repeated scattering allows the signals to travel for several thousand kilometers.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
On the bureau is a scattering of framed pictures.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
