Scrap — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈskrap/

Meaning & Definition of Scrap

Scrap (noun)

  1. fragments of discarded or leftover food
  2. a small detached piece
  3. a fragment of something written, printed, or spoken
  4. fight

Scrap (verb)

  1. to convert into scrap
  2. to abandon or get rid of as no longer of enough worth or effectiveness to retain
  3. quarrel, fight

Scrap (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an unused or unwanted piece or item typically of small size or value

    "only a scrap of silk was left on the sewing table after they had finished the project"

    similar: end, fag end, leftover, oddment, remainder, remnant, stub
    related: leavings, odds and ends, pickings, refuse, remains, residual, residue, scraping(s), stump, vestige, balance, rest, chip, flake, fragment, piece, sliver, splinter, ribbon(s), shred, tatter
    near: whole

  2. a broken or irregular part of something that often remains incomplete

    "a scrap of paper fluttered to the floor"

    similar: bit, fraction, fragment, piece
    related: cantle, shred, tatter, end, leftover, oddment, remainder, remnant, stub, portion, section, segment, chip, flake, shard, shatter, shiver, sliver, splinter, clipping, paring, shaving, atom, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, nugget, particle, patch, scruple, snip, snippet, speck, tittle

  3. a very small piece

    "brushed away a scrap of lint"

    similar: atom, bit, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, nugget, particle, patch, scruple, snip, snippet, speck, tittle
    related: ace, dab, dash, driblet, drop, fraction, haet (chiefly Scottish), halfpenny, ha'penny, iota, jot, kenning (chiefly Scottish), lick, minim, mite, modicum, nutshell, ounce, pinch, shred, smatter, smidgen, spot, strain, streak, suspicion, taste, touch, trace, whisper, whit, bite, mouthful, nibble, tidbit, fragment, part, portion, section, chip, flake, shard, shiver, sliver, splinter, clipping, paring, shaving, smithereens
    near: chunk, gob, hunk, lump, slab, abundance, barrel, bucket, bushel, deal, heaps, loads, mass, mountain, peck, pile, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, scads, stack, volume, wad, wealth

  4. discarded or useless material

    "the rest of this stuff is just scrap, so sweep it up and throw it away"

    similar: chaff, deadwood, debris, dreck, dross, dust, effluvium, garbage, junk, litter, offal, offscouring, raffle, refuse, riffraff, rubbish, spilth, trash, truck, waste
    related: crud, sewage, slop, swill, wash, detritus, remains, rubble, ruins, dump, scrap heap, lumber, odds and ends, trumpery, flotsam, jetsam, wreckage, castoff, cull, discard, hand-me-down, reject, throwaway, nothing, straw, two bits
    near: catch, gem, goody, jewel, pearl, plum, prize, treasure, treasure trove, trove, valuable, booty, find, salvage

  5. an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions

    "the state legislature's annual scrap over the budget"

    similar: 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
    related: clash, run-in, skirmish, tangle, tussle, logomachy, feud, vendetta, attack, contention, dissension, debate, difference, disputation, fuss, objection, protest, protestation, affray (chiefly British), fisticuffs, fracas, fray, free-for-all, melee, catfight

  6. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "several drunken revelers were involved in a scrap outside of the nightclub"

    similar: battle, clash, combat, conflict, contest, dustup, fight, fracas, fray, hassle, scrimmage, scrum, scuffle, skirmish, struggle, tussle
    related: pitched battle, rough-and-tumble, affray (chiefly British), battle royal, brawl, broil, donnybrook, free-for-all, melee, mix-up, ruckus, ruction, blows, fistfight, fisticuffs, grapple, handgrips, punch-out, punch-up (chiefly British), slugfest, confrontation, duel, face-off, joust, altercation, argle-bargle (chiefly British), argument, argy-bargy (chiefly British), contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, falling-out, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tangle, tiff, wrangle, catfight
    near: truce

Scrap (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to express different opinions about something often angrily

    "the young couple often scrapped about money and their very disparate spending habits"

    similar: altercate, argue, argufy, bicker, brabble, brawl, controvert, dispute, fall out, fight, hassle, jar, quarrel, quibble, row, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle, bandy words, butt heads, lock horns, mix it up
    related: challenge, dare, defy, clash, contend, contest, tangle, cavil, fuss, nitpick, consider, debate, discuss, kick, object, protest
    near: coexist, get along, accept, agree, assent, concur, consent

  2. to get rid of as useless or unwanted

    "we've decided to scrap the second car"

    similar: cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, discard, ditch, dump, eighty-six, exorcise, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, lose, pitch, reject, shed, shuck (off), slough (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload, dispose of, set aside
    related: abandon, abdicate, desert, forsake, dismiss, kick out, abolish, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, liquidate, remove, root (out), stamp (out), wipe out
    near: adopt, embrace, take on, employ, use, utilize, hold, hold back, keep, retain

  3. to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)

    "we scrapped our plans to go to Paris, and set out the next day for Prague"

    similar: abandon, abort, call, call off, cancel, cry off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, scrub
    related: abrogate, annul, invalidate, nullify, void, write off, recant, retract, take back, withdraw, countermand, reverse, roll back, break off, discontinue, end, halt, stop, terminate, hold back, interrupt, suspend, give up, relinquish, surrender
    opposite: continue, keep
    near: engage, pledge, promise, begin, commence, initiate, start, take on, take up, undertake

Related Entry: Scrap heap (noun)

Scrap heap is a different word from Scrap. The synonyms below are for scrap heap, not for scrap.

  1. as in dump

    similar: dump, detritus, remains, rubble, ruins, lumber, odds and ends, trumpery, crud, sewage, slop, swill, wash, flotsam, jetsam, wreckage, chaff, deadwood, debris, dreck, dross, dust, effluvium, garbage, junk, litter, offal, offscouring, raffle, refuse, riffraff, rubbish, scrap, spilth, trash, truck, waste, castoff, cull, discard, hand-me-down, reject, throwaway, nothing, straw, two bits
    opposite: catch, gem, goody, jewel, pearl, plum, prize, treasure, treasure trove, trove, valuable, booty, find, salvage

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Scrap

The most common words with a similar meaning to Scrap:

Chiefly British: argle-bargle, argy-bargy
end, fag end, leftover, oddment, remainder, remnant, stub, bit, fraction, fragment, piece, atom, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, nugget, particle, patch, scruple, snip, snippet, speck, tittle, chaff, deadwood, debris, dreck, dross, dust, effluvium, garbage, junk, litter

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Scrap

Words with the opposite meaning of Scrap:

continue, keep

Related Words for Scrap

leavings, odds and ends, pickings, remains, residual, residue, scraping(s), stump, vestige, balance, rest, chip, flake, sliver, splinter, ribbon(s), shred, tatter, cantle, portion, section, segment, shard, shatter, shiver, clipping, paring, shaving, ace, dab

Near Antonyms of Scrap

whole, chunk, gob, hunk, lump, slab, abundance, barrel, bucket, bushel, deal, heaps, loads, mass, mountain, peck, pile, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, scads, stack, volume, wad, wealth, catch, gem, goody, jewel

Word Forms of Scrap

Inflections: scrapped, scrapping

Origin & Etymology of Scrap

Middle English, from Old Norse skrap scraps; akin to Old Norse skrapa to scrape

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Scrap

scrap heap, scrap paper

Frequently Asked Questions about Scrap

What does "Scrap" mean?

"Scrap" means fragments of discarded or leftover food. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: fragments of discarded or leftover food. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Scrap"?

Other words for "Scrap" include end, fag end, leftover, oddment, remainder, remnant, stub and bit. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Scrap" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Scrap"?

There are 311 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Scrap". Common alternatives include end, fag end, leftover, oddment, remainder, remnant, stub, bit, fraction and fragment.

What is the opposite of "Scrap"?

Antonyms of "Scrap" include continue and keep. Near antonyms include whole, chunk, gob and hunk.

How do you use "Scrap" in a sentence?

Examples of "Scrap" in a sentence: "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".

Is "Scrap" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Scrap" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Scrap"?

"Scrap" is pronounced /ˈskrap/.

What is the origin of the word "Scrap"?

"Scrap" comes from Middle English, from Old Norse skrap scraps; akin to Old Norse skrapa to scrape. First known use: 14th century.