often attributive
1
scraps plural
: fragments of discarded or leftover food
2
a
: a small detached piece
a scrap of paper
b
: a fragment of something written, printed, or spoken
scraps of conversation
c
: the least bit
not a scrap of evidence
3
4
a
: fragments of stock removed in manufacturing
b
: manufactured articles or parts rejected or discarded and useful only as material for reprocessing
especially
: waste and discarded metal
scrapped; scrapping
1
: to convert into scrap
2
: to abandon or get rid of as no longer of enough worth or effectiveness to retain
scrap outworn methods
Synonyms
Noun (1)
Verb (1)
- cashier
- cast (off)
- chuck
- deep-six
- discard
- ditch
- dump
- eighty-six
- 86
- exorcise
- exorcize
- fling (off or away)
- jettison
- junk
- lay by
- lose
- pitch
- reject
- shed
- shuck (off)
- slough (off)
- sluff (off)
- throw away
- throw out
- toss
- unload
Noun (2)
- altercation
- argle-bargle [chiefly British]
- argument
- argy-bargy [chiefly British]
- battle royal
- bicker
- brawl
- contretemps
- controversy
- cross fire
- disagreement
- dispute
- donnybrook
- falling-out
- fight
- hassle
- imbroglio
- kickup
- misunderstanding
- quarrel
- rhubarb
- row
- set-to
- spat
- squabble
- tiff
- wrangle
Verb (2)
Examples of scrap in a Sentence
Noun (1)
only a scrap of silk was left on the sewing table after they had finished the project
a scrap of paper fluttered to the floor
brushed away a scrap of lint
the rest of this stuff is just scrap, so sweep it up and throw it away
Verb (1)
we've decided to scrap the second car
we scrapped our plans to go to Paris, and set out the next day for Prague
Noun (2)
the state legislature's annual scrap over the budget
several drunken revelers were involved in a scrap outside of the nightclub
Verb (2)
the young couple often scrapped about money and their very disparate spending habits
Recent Examples on the Web
Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Many Americans never knew the EV1 existed — and the fight to keep it alive ended with GM crushing nearly all the cars into scrap.
—Jack Mitchell, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024
Jim Clash, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
In September, the manufacturer scrapped its national trial after results showed the medication worked no better than the placebo.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scrap 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Du Plessis went six for 11 on takedowns during Saturday’s scrap.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Many Americans never knew the EV1 existed — and the fight to keep it alive ended with GM crushing nearly all the cars into scrap.
—Jack Mitchell, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
Because of the complexity of the mission - tactical testing of new weapons - things like wind speed and direction, cloud cover and precipitation might have scrapped it.
—Jim Clash, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
In September, the manufacturer scrapped its national trial after results showed the medication worked no better than the placebo.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scrap
Dictionary Entries Near scrap
Cite this Entry
“Scrap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrap. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scrap
2 of 4 verb
scrapped; scrapping
1
: to break up into scrap
2
: to discard as worthless
scrap
3 of 4 nounEtymology
Noun
Middle English scrap "discarded bits of food"; of Norse origin
Noun
origin unknown
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