scatter
Americanverb (used with object)
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to throw loosely about; distribute at irregular intervals.
to scatter seeds.
- Synonyms:
- broadcast
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to separate and drive off in various directions; disperse.
to scatter a crowd.
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Physics.
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to refract or diffract (light or otherelectromagnetic radiation ) irregularly so as to diffuse in many directions.
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(of a medium) to diffuse or deflect (light or other wave phenomena) by collisions between the wave and particles of the medium.
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verb (used without object)
noun
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the act of scattering.
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something that is scattered.
verb
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(tr) to throw about in various directions; strew
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to separate and move or cause to separate and move in various directions; disperse
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to deviate or cause to deviate in many directions, as in the diffuse reflection or refraction of light
noun
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the act of scattering
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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
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have scatteredperfect
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has scatteredperfect 3rd person singular
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has been scatteringperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been scatteringperfect progressive
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is scatteringprogressive 3rd person singular
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scatteringparticiple
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scatterssingular 3rd person
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are scatteringprogressive
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am scatteringprogressive 1st person singular
Past
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had scatteredperfect
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had been scatteringperfect progressive
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scatteredparticiple
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were scatteringprogressive plural
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scatteredsimple
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was scatteringprogressive singular
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
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Bronx Masquerade
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"The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet"
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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.
Starting from just a couple of assumptions about how particles scatter during collisions, they unexpectedly arrived at the core features of string theory.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
Images on social media showed a person scaling the fence in a costume that included a smiley face head with sunglasses, prompting the monkeys to scatter.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
Instead, I finished things with a scatter of green onions, whose sharpness cut beautifully through the richness.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
A group of grandmothers formed an unlikely friendship with a pro wrestler during an emotional trip to Las Vegas to scatter a late husband's ashes.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
I tossed a pebble into the creek and watched the water ripple and the minnows scatter.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
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.
