scrabble
verb (used with object)
to scratch or scrape, as with the claws or hands.
scrabble
1 American
[skrab-uhl]
/ ˈskræb əl /
verb (used with object)
-
scrabbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scrabbled,
past participle, past
-
scrabbling
present participle
-
to scratch or scrape, as with the claws or hands.
-
to grapple or struggle with or as if with the claws or hands.
-
to scrawl; scribble.
verb (used without object)
-
scrabbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scrabbled,
past participle, past
-
scrabbling
present participle
-
to scratch or dig frantically with the hands; claw (often followed byat ).
scrabbling at a locked door to escape the flames.
-
to jostle or struggle for possession of something; grab or collect something in a disorderly way; scramble.
noun
-
scrabbles
plural
-
a scratching or scraping, as with the claws or hands.
-
a scrawled or scribbled writing.
-
a disorderly struggle for possession of something; scramble.
After the fumble, there was a scrabble for the football.
Scrabble
2
American
[skrab-uhl]
/ ˈskræb əl /
Trademark.
scrabble
1
British
/ ˈskræbəl /
verb
-
(intr; often foll by about or at) to scrape (at) or grope (for), as with hands or claws
-
to struggle (with)
-
to struggle to gain possession, esp in a disorderly manner
-
to scribble
noun
-
the act or an instance of scrabbling
-
a scribble
-
a disorderly struggle
Scrabble
2
British
/ ˈskræbəl /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
scrabblesimple
-
scrabblessimple
-
have scrabbledperfect
-
has scrabbledperfect
-
am scrabblingprogressive
-
are scrabblingprogressive
-
is scrabblingprogressive
-
have been scrabblingperfect progressive
-
has been scrabblingperfect progressive
Past
-
scrabbledsimple
-
had scrabbledperfect
-
was scrabblingprogressive
-
were scrabblingprogressive
-
had been scrabblingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scrabble
1530–40; < Dutch schrabbelen to scratch, frequentative of schrabben to scrape
Explanation
To scrabble is to grasp or grope. If you lose your footing while rock climbing, you'll scrabble around with your fingers for a ledge to hang onto. The verb scrabble means to scratch or grab with your hands, the way you might search for something in a dark room or clutch at something frantically as you drop it. Scrabble also describes an animal's movements, like the sound of a squirrel that scrabbles, or scurries, out of your garbage can. Scrabble is also the name of a board game that involves making words out of letter tiles. Scrabble comes from the Dutch schrabben, "to scratch."
Vocabulary lists containing scrabble
Fahrenheit 451
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"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
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The Hobbit
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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.
See Examples For:
It might not be up to John Cena standards, but she’s clearly figured at least a few things out along her scrabble to undeniable stardom.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2024
The policy spurs a scrabble for more hard currency.
From Reuters ● Aug. 3, 2023
“Imagine you have scrabble tiles that spell out ‘Powerball.’
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 19, 2023
Like my parents and many others I knew in the South Bronx, they scrabble to hang on and perhaps wonder if anyone sees or hears their distress.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2023
The heroism and glamour might be there somewhere, but you had to dig and scrape and scrabble through the dirt, pain, and misery to find it.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Their first licensed Hasbro products were coffee tables, accent tables and pub tables with built-in versions of Scrabble or Monopoly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
An ode to the ecstasy of Scrabble: Do you love hearing someone talk about something they’re really passionate about and know very well, in great intimate detail?
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
I will not walk on a beach with you, but I will play Scrabble.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
"No TV, no Scrabble puzzle on my phone. So having a couple of books would have been helpful," she said.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2025
I wanted to tell her she shouldn’t be playing Scrabble yet.
From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
After the game, City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he is still trying to find "balance" in his squad while talismanic striker Erling Haaland scrabbles for form.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026
He scrabbles over a few yards to try again.
From New York Times ● Mar. 23, 2024
At the novel’s outset, Ezra scrabbles through his world with honest hunger and understandable, if sometimes pedantic, disdain for those with more than him.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 7, 2023
So Pluto is doubly fitting for the doppelgänger who ascended from underground and scrabbles around on all fours.
From Slate ● Mar. 24, 2019
“Someone who scrabbles her way through life. There’s no beauty in such labor.”
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
As she scrabbled for a laser pointer in her large handbag, her coloratura was comically on point, though she was inaudible in her middle range during the cabaletta.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2025
Swiss lawmakers have since scrabbled together six counterproposals.
From New York Times ● Mar. 12, 2023
"I had no idea how long it would take the officers to get there, so we scrabbled about for things to talk about," the 39-year-old says.
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2022
Patients scrabbled for whatever dignity they could salvage during their terrifying tour through the dark forest of tubes, needles and knives.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 15, 2021
Herbie’s heart sank as he observed new ants methodically plodding into the death arenas around the sugary spots; they paid no attention to the shapeless compatriots over which their tiny feet scrabbled.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
The second senior resignation in two days leaves Sir Keir scrabbling to shore up his position as prime minister following the resignation of his top adviser McSweeney on Sunday.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026
Europe’s scrabbling together of funds to put into the pot is important here.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025
This is, though, where much of Europe has been for some time: scrabbling around for scraps from the Premier League’s table.
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
When few other animals are out and about, wolverines are scrabbling up frozen slopes with their crampon-like claws and crunching through frozen bones of carrion dug out of snow.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 29, 2023
I haul myself up to the top, groaning from the effort, kicking and scrabbling in a downright ungainly manner.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
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