Synonyms

strewn

American

[stroon] / strun /

Also strewed

adjective

covered or overspread with something scattered or sprinkled (used in combination).

We saw men, women, and children scavenging for recyclables, both in the actual dump site and along the garbage-strewn streets of the city.
dropped in separate pieces or particles over a surface; scattered.

The dancers led a candlelight procession through the district, following a path of strewn marigold petals.

verb

a past participle of strew.

Other Word Forms

unstrewed adjective
unstrewn adjective

Etymology

Origin of strewn

First recorded in 1610–20 as a verb, and in 1725–35 as an adjective

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.

Photos of island poverty and ruin, strewn across social media, don’t lie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

These newly recognized specimens, called geraisites after the state of Minas Gerais where they were first found, form a previously unknown strewn field.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

This matters most because ambiguity over his goal has been repeatedly questioned in Congress and the path to it is strewn with the greatest risks of all.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

Streets in the commercial district lie strewn with debris after the Uba River overflows, collapsing a bridge and several buildings.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

The downtown flattened out to weedy lots strewn between plain brick and wooden clapboard buildings.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023