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Glite Dictionary
✍️ To write messily ✍️ Messy writing
to scrawl

to scrawl

23 5.5
To write or draw quickly and carelessly so it is hard to read
  • verb
  • /skrɔl/
translation icon : garabatear
  • Before leaving the classroom, she scrawled the answers on the blackboard.
  • scrawled a note
  • scrawled on a scrap

Pictures of its body had been scrawled over town since before I was born.

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Examples

  • Andy makes a decision, finds a pad on a table, and scrawls a phone number.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • "Wish you were here," he had scrawled on the back of a glossy picture of Fisherman's Wharf.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Pictures of its body had been scrawled over town since before I was born.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • One of the victims scrawled it on a mirror.

    Phantoms (1998)

  • In bright green and red letters was the huge scrawled message: Closed for the holidays!

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The word "taxi" had been scrawled along the side of the vehicle with spray paint.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • On the plastic card attached to the balloon is a note scrawled in pencil: "EVERYONE OK"

    Academic text (2005)

  • On the bottom of the paper, Azaria had scrawled, "Mum, I'm taking up where you left off."

    Fiction book (1994)

  • There were books in the library at home with Standish's name scrawled inside, a careless, skinny signature.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • He scrawled a quick note on the back of an envelope before rushing out.

Synonyms

to scribble
vsto scrawl
55 3.5

To write or draw quickly and carelessly so it is hard to read

has the same meaning but is an alternative common verb form
to doodle
vsto scrawl
13 3.3

Draw quick, simple lines or shapes without thinking, often while doing something else

is unfocused drawing without purpose rather than careless text for reading
scribbling
vsto scrawl
7 3.5

Messy, quick writing or drawing that is hard to read and has little meaning

is a verb form focusing on the act rather than the result
to scrabble
vsto scrawl
1 7.0

To write or draw quickly so it is hard to read

focuses on the same quick careless action rather than purpose
to scraggle
vsto scrawl
  • UK
8.9

To draw or write with uneven, untidy strokes

emphasizes irregular stroke shape instead of general messiness

Antonyms

to print
4 1.0

To write words by hand using separate upright letters

How Legible

to write
∞ 1.0
to dash off
3 5.1
to scrawl
23 5.5
to scribble
55 3.5

Surface Forms

scrawl infinitive
scrawling present participle
scrawls third person singular
scrawled past
scrawled past participle

Etymology

Scrawl comes from the same image of 'scratching' letters on a page. To scrawl is to write quickly and carelessly, much like a hurried scribble, which is why the result is hard to read.