What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
scatter
Example
She scattered the seeds across the garden. [scatter: verb]
Example
The crowd scattered when the police arrived. [scattered: past participle]
Example
The stars were scattered across the sky. [scattered: adjective]
disperse
Example
The protesters were dispersed by the police. [disperse: verb]
Example
The clouds began to disperse, revealing the blue sky. [disperse: verb]
Example
The molecules of the gas started to disperse in the air. [disperse: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Disperse is more commonly used than scatter in everyday language. Disperse is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while scatter is less common and often used in more specific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between scatter and disperse?
Both scatter and disperse are relatively formal words, but disperse may be slightly more formal due to its wider range of usage in academic or technical contexts.
