Meaning & use
scrabbling
Last updated
“scrabbling” is a form of “scrabble”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbintransitive
moving your hands or feet quickly and awkwardly, especially when trying to get hold of something or climb out of a place
Grammar: No object; often followed by around, about, at, or for: She was scrabbling for her keys.
Patterns
- scrabble around
- scrabble about
- scrabble at something
- scrabble for something
She was scrabbling around in her bag for her phone.
The children scrabbled at the edge of the pool, trying to climb out.
He scrabbled about on the floor, looking for his glasses.
Word forms
| third person singular | scrabbles |
|---|---|
| past tense | scrabbled |
| past participle | scrabbled |
| -ing form | scrabbling |
Common combinations
- scrabble around for
- She scrabbled around for a pen in her messy desk.
- scrabble at the door
- The dog scrabbled at the door, eager to go outside.
- scrabble up
- He scrabbled up the steep bank to reach the road.
- scrabble to your feet
- She scrabbled to her feet after the fall.
Synonyms and how they differ
- claw
- Claw means to tear or scratch with sharp nails, often more aggressive and deliberate than scrabbling.
- grope
- Grope means to search with your hands when you cannot see, focusing on feeling rather than hurried, clumsy movement.
- scramble
- Scramble is very close and often interchangeable, but it can also mean to compete or move quickly in a chaotic way, while scrabble is more about using your hands or feet awkwardly.
Word family
Commonly confused: scrabbling or scramble? scrabbling or scribbling?
scrabbling vs scramble
Scramble can mean to move quickly and awkwardly, but it also means to mix eggs or to compete for something. Scrabbling is more specific to using your hands or feet to get hold of something or climb.
scrabbling vs scribbling
Scribbling means writing or drawing carelessly, while scrabbling is about physical movement with hands or feet.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'scrabbling' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Scrabbling describes hurried, clumsy movement with hands or feet, often against a surface, so 'scrabbling at the window' fits. The other options use it as a transitive verb meaning 'write' or 'move something', which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “scrabbling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.