scattered
Americanadjective
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distributed or occurring at widely spaced and usually irregular intervals.
scattered villages; scattered showers.
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dispersed; disorganized.
scattered forces.
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distracted or disorganized.
scattered thoughts.
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Meteorology. (of clouds) covering up to one-half of the sky.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of scattered
Explanation
When things are scattered, they’re spread out all over the place. If the forecast calls for scattered showers, it’ll rain here and there. Items lying at random intervals and at some distance from each other can be described as scattered. Your birthday cake might be scattered with sprinkles, and the floor of your little sister's room might be scattered with Lego blocks. Another meaning of scattered is "messy" or "disordered" — you can describe yourself as scattered if you're feeling disorganized and confused. The word scatter is probably related to shatter, "break into pieces," from a Middle English root.
Vocabulary lists containing scattered
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.
Yet at that moment—in sequestered design studios scattered around California—engineering boffins were up to their elbows in the next generation of EV pickups, and still are.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026
Wood said the scattered references reflect a character actively trying to figure out who he wants to be.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
"Too much of today's fishing remains invisible to those tasked with managing our ocean," said Long, vowing the map would "transform scattered, fragmented data into actionable insights for policymakers".
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
But borders are borders, and once Strickland has been ejected, it doesn’t take long for everyone to get back to Fan Festing at the various octagons scattered around the Ellipse.
From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026
Mom pointed at something in the snow: huge paw prints, scattered all around them.
From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis
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.
