scramble - Definition & Meaning

to scramble

Third Person

scrambles

Present Participle

scrambling

Past Tense

scrambled

Past Participle

scrambled

to ascend or move clumsily up a steep surface, using both hands and feet for support

As the hikers reached the rocky peak, they had to scramble to conquer the last few meters.
In the race against time, the mountaineers had to scramble up the icy slope to reach the stranded climbers.
With the storm approaching, the sailors had to scramble up the rigging to secure the sails.
Faced with the unexpected obstacle, the trail runners had to scramble over fallen trees to stay on course.

Synonyms:

to mix an egg yolk with its egg whites and then cook it, usually with milk or butter

transitive

For a quick breakfast, she decided to scramble some eggs with a dash of milk to make them fluffy.
The chef skillfully demonstrated how to scramble eggs, adding butter for a rich and savory flavor.
In the morning rush, he opted to scramble the eggs and cook them rapidly for a protein-packed breakfast.
To prepare a hearty brunch, she chose to scramble eggs with spinach and feta cheese.
He liked to scramble eggs with a touch of cream, creating a velvety texture for his morning meal.

Synonyms:

to move quickly and with urgency, often in a disorderly manner

When the fire alarm sounded, people began to scramble out of the building, evacuating in a hurry.
As the unexpected announcement was made, passengers started to scramble to catch the last train of the day.
As the storm approached, beachgoers scrambled to pack their belongings and seek shelter.
Witnessing the sudden commotion, the birds began to scramble in all directions, taking flight.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, residents had to scramble to find temporary shelter and basic necessities.

to encode a broadcast transmission or telephone conversation in a way that renders it unintelligible without the use of a decoding device

transitive

During the Cold War, military communications often used encryption to scramble messages.
The radio operator had to scramble the transmission to ensure secure communication.
The government agency employed a sophisticated system to scramble their satellite communications.
The encrypted software is designed to scramble emails, providing an extra layer of privacy for users.
The military aircraft's communication system was designed to automatically scramble transmissions.

Antonyms:

to mix or jumble something, creating confusion or disorder

transitive

In the rush to pack for the trip, I scrambled my clothes and toiletries in the suitcase.
The toddler gleefully scrambled the puzzle pieces, challenging the adults to put it back together.
The computer glitch caused the data to scramble, leading to hours of work to restore the files.
As the wind picked up, it began to scramble the carefully arranged leaves in the backyard.
The mischievous student decided to scramble the pages of the teacher's lesson plan.

Synonyms: