scrabble

1 of 2

verb

scrab·​ble ˈskra-bəl How to pronounce scrabble (audio)
scrabbled; scrabbling ˈskra-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce scrabble (audio)

intransitive verb

1
2
: to scratch, claw, or grope about clumsily or frantically
3
b
: to struggle by or as if by scraping or scratching
scrabble for survival
scrabbler noun

scrabble

2 of 2

noun

1
2
3
: a repeated scratching or clawing

Examples of scrabble in a Sentence

Verb She scrabbled around in her handbag for a pen. He scrabbled at the slippery rock. Noun it'll be a long scrabble to pull ourselves out of poverty
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
There are other ethnic lines drawn among Gotham’s gangs, each scrabbling for a little bit more of the pie that Carmine used to keep mostly for himself. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024 Relatively recently, humans were scrabbling in the dirt, and hunting for animals, and writing things on cave walls, or later, parchments. John Werner, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
One-third of Americans drink regular Coke, which commands about 19 percent of soft drink sales, while other soft drinks scrabble for a distant second place at around 8 percent of the market. Whizy Kim, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Favorite Hobbies: Playing scrabble, writing, trivia. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for scrabble 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Dutch schrabbelen to scratch

First Known Use

Verb

1537, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scrabble was in 1537

Dictionary Entries Near scrabble

Cite this Entry

“Scrabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrabble. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

scrabble

1 of 2 verb
scrab·​ble ˈskrab-əl How to pronounce scrabble (audio)
scrabbled; scrabbling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce scrabble (audio)
1
: to scratch or scrape about frantically with hands or paws
2
3
: to struggle by or as if by scraping or scratching
scrabble for a living
scrabbler noun

scrabble

2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of scrabbling

More from Merriam-Webster on scrabble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!