What is the opposite of “gather”?

What is the antonym of “gather”?

The antonyms of gather are disperse and scatter. The antonyms disperse and scatter convey the opposite meaning of bringing things together. They imply spreading out or separating things.

Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)

Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!

disperse

To scatter or spread over a wide area.

Example

The protesters were asked to disperse by the police.

scatter

To throw or distribute in various directions; to separate and go in different ways.

Example

The wind caused the leaves to scatter all over the yard.

How are these antonyms different from each other?

• 1. Disperse implies spreading out over a wide area, while scatter implies throwing or distributing in various directions.
• 2. Disperse is often used for crowds or groups of people, while scatter can be used for objects or people.
• 3. Scatter can also imply a lack of order or organization, while disperse does not necessarily have this connotation.

Good things to know

• 1. Environmental Science: Use disperse to describe how pollutants or particles spread out in the air or water.
• 2. Social Science: Use disperse to describe how crowds or groups of people move apart.
• 3. Gardening: Use scatter to describe how seeds are distributed over a garden bed.

📌

Remember this!

The antonyms of gather are disperse and scatter. While disperse implies spreading out over a wide area, scatter implies throwing or distributing in various directions. Use these words in environmental science, social science, and gardening contexts to describe how things move apart or spread out.