Synonyms for scribble

Most common

scratch · cacography · doodle · squiggle

All synonyms

Noun

Verb

Definitions

1. n. 1

   Careless, hasty writing, doodle or drawing

2. v. 1

   To write or draw carelessly and in a hurry.

   I suddenly remembered I needed to buy bleach, so scribbled it down on my shopping list.

Related words

Word family

scribbler scribe

Phrases

scribble lark scribble off

Forms

Plural

scribbles → scratches, cacographies, doodles, squiggles…

Past participle

scribbled
e.g. scribbled → scrawled, written, scrabbled…

Example sentences

• scratch The doctor said you shouldn't scratch your wounds.
• doodle The cock crows, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" in the morning.
• squiggle That's a squiggle, not legible handwriting.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

5 letters

write¹

6 letters

doodle², scrawl¹

7 letters

scratch¹

8 letters

scrabble², squiggle²

10 letters

cacography

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (doodle² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français

gribouillis

Español

garabato