What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
scattered
Example
The scattered toys made it difficult to walk through the room. [scattered: adjective]
Example
The protesters were scattered throughout the city, making it hard for the police to control them. [scattered: verb]
Example
Her thoughts were scattered and she couldn't focus on the task at hand. [scattered: adjective]
fragmented
Example
The vase was fragmented into many pieces after it fell off the shelf. [fragmented: adjective]
Example
The story was fragmented and hard to follow because of all the flashbacks. [fragmented: adjective]
Example
The political party was fragmented into different factions with conflicting ideologies. [fragmented: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Scattered is more commonly used than fragmented in everyday language. Scattered is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts, while fragmented is more specific and often used in academic or technical writing.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between scattered and fragmented?
Both scattered and fragmented are relatively informal words, but fragmented may be slightly more formal due to its association with academic or technical writing.
