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.
According to the death certificate, Mackie was cremated on Sept. 17, and his ashes were scattered off San Diego.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Much of the surrounding water appears dark and open, although scattered fragments of floating sea ice remain visible.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Cooler north-westerly winds will bring sunshine and scattered showers to many areas, while rain could be heavy and persistent for a time across south-eastern England and East Anglia.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Whilst scattered showers will affect the north-west on Wednesday, a spell of more prolonged rain is expected in eastern England - good news for areas that saw very little rain over the past month.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Smithy tossed objects over his shoulder to land either in an open satchel or in a scattered discard pile all around.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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