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.
Scattered over the top of bread pudding before baking, it creates these bronzed little crackly edges that make the whole thing feel finished.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
Scattered among stars and galaxies were small, unexplained red points of light that did not fit existing models of the early universe.
From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026
Scattered to rental apartments and friends’ guesthouses, former Upper Woodies residents met by Zoom on Monday nights to determine their future.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
Scattered showers from the third in a series of storms could last into Saturday.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025
Scattered among them were armies of tin soldiers, steam engines, and sailing ships with carved sailors—and in the middle of this chaos sat a boy.
From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
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.
