scattered

[ skat-erd ]

adjective

1. distributed or occurring at widely spaced and usually irregular intervals:

   scattered villages; scattered showers.

2. dispersed; disorganized:

   scattered forces.

3. distracted or disorganized:

   scattered thoughts.

4. Meteorology. (of clouds) covering up to one-half of the sky. Compare broken ( def 5 ).

Other Words From

• scattered·ly adverb
• scattered·ness noun
• un·scattered adjective
• well-scattered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of scattered¹

scatter + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Some houses, seemingly scattered at random, were reduced to rubble with only a lifeless moonscape left behind.

From Los Angeles Times

The enemy had removed and scattered their dog tags.

From BBC

There were the obligatory Black and South Asian Trumpists scattered about in different groups or standing alone outside.

From Salon

Police tape continued to surround the market area on Monday, with debris scattered across the road.

From BBC

Many of them will be among the million or so displaced people scattered across Lebanon today - mostly from the south, the Bekaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

From BBC

Related Words

• intermittent
• isolated
• occasional
• sporadic