strew

verb

ˈstrü 

strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün  ; strewing

transitive verb

1

: to spread by scattering

2

: to cover by or as if by scattering something

strewing the highways with litter

3

: to become dispersed over as if scattered

4

: to spread abroad : disseminate

Synonyms

• bestrew
• dot
• pepper
• scatter
• sow
• spot
• spray
• sprinkle

Examples of strew in a Sentence

She strewed the birdseed on the ground.

sidewalks strewed with trash left by the parade watchers

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the past four decades, hundreds of dead bodies have been discovered strewn alongside the roads that link different parts of the country. —Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024

In March, investigators searching Combs’ Holmby Hills mansion emptied safes, dismantled electronics and left papers strewn in some rooms, sources told The Times. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2024

Lines from those are caught in that same fence and strewn across the open land, where more debris was left and trees uprooted. —James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 May 2024

As with many trending watches, a whirlwind of recent marketing hype has strewn the facts about salmon watch dials into the algorithmic noise of the internet. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 13 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English strewen, strowen, from Old English strewian, strēowian; akin to Old High German strewen to strew, Latin struere to heap up, sternere to spread out, Greek stornynai

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

strew

verb

ˈstrü 

strewed; strewed or strewn ˈstrün  ; strewing

1

: to spread (as seeds) by scattering

2

: to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on

strewing the highways with litter

3

: to spread around as if sowing seeds : disseminate