scramble

UK: /ˈskræmb^əl/ US: /ˈskræmbəl/ ,(skram′bəl)

Inflections of 'scramble' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

scrambles

v 3rd person singular

scrambling

v pres p

scrambled

v past

scrambled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

scram•ble /ˈskræmbəl/   v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v. 

1. to climb using one's hands and feet, as up or down a hill:
   [no object] scrambled quickly up the hill.
2. to compete with others to gain something:
   [no object] to scramble in the competition for a new job.
3. to move quickly and with a purpose:
   [no object] scrambled out of the way of the police.
4. Military to (cause pilots or aircraft to) take off quickly to intercept enemy planes: [no object]
   The jets scrambled from the airfield and headed east.
   [~ + object]
   The air commander scrambled his planes.
5. to collect, organize, or mix (things) in a hurried or disorderly manner:
   [~ + object] His words and thought patterns were scrambled and made no sense.
6. Food [~ + object] to fry (eggs) while constantly stirring them.

n. [countable]

7. a quick climb or movement over rough, irregular ground.
8. a struggle to gain something:
   the wild scramble for the presidency.
9. any disorderly and hurried proceeding:
   a terrible scramble to get packed in time for the flight.

scram•bler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

scram•ble  (skram′bəl), v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to climb or move quickly using one's hands and feet, as down a rough incline.
2. to compete or struggle with others for possession or gain:
   The children scrambled for the coins we tossed.
3. to move hastily and with urgency:
   She scrambled into her coat and ran out the door.
4. Military (of pilots or aircraft) to take off as quickly as possible to intercept enemy planes.

v.t. 

5. to collect or organize (things) in a hurried or disorderly manner (often fol. by together or up):
   He scrambled the papers up from the desk. I scrambled the report together at the last minute.
6. to mix together confusedly:
   The teacher has hopelessly scrambled our names and faces.
7. to cause to move hastily, as if in panic:
   He scrambled everyone out of the burning building.
8. Food to cook (eggs) in a pan while stirring, usually after mixing whites and yolks together.
9. Radio and Television, Telecommunications to make (a radio or telephonic message) incomprehensible to interceptors by systematically changing the transmission frequencies.
10. Radio and Television to mix the elements of (a television signal) so that only subscribers with a decoding box can receive the signal.
11. Military to cause (an intercepting aircraft or pilot) to take off in the shortest possible time, in response to an alert.

n. 

12. a quick climb or progression over rough, irregular ground.
13. a struggle for possession or gain:
    a scramble for choice seats in the stadium.
14. any disorderly or hasty struggle or proceeding.
15. Military an emergency takeoff of interceptors performed in the shortest possible time.

• blend of, blended dialect, dialectal scamble to stumble along, and scrabble (in the same sense) 1580–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

scramble / ˈskræmb^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to climb or crawl, esp by using the hands to aid movement
2. (intransitive) to proceed hurriedly or in a disorderly fashion
3. (intransitive) often followed by for: to compete with others, esp in a disordered manner
4. (intransitive) followed by through: to succeed in some undertaking in spite of lack of organization
5. (transitive) to throw together in a haphazard manner; jumble
6. (transitive) to collect in a hurried or disorganized manner
7. (transitive) to cook (eggs that have been whisked up with milk and seasoning) in a pan containing a little melted butter
8. to order (a crew or aircraft) to take off immediately or (of a crew or aircraft) to take off immediately
9. (transitive) to render (speech) unintelligible during transmission by means of an electronic scrambler

noun

1. the act of scrambling
2. a climb over rocks that involves the use of the hands but not ropes, etc
3. a disorderly struggle, esp to gain possession
4. an immediate preparation for action, as of crew, aircraft, etc
5. a motorcycle rally in which competitors race across rough open ground

Etymology: 16th Century: blend of scrabble and ramp