scavenged; scavenging
1
a(1)
: to remove (dirt, refuse, etc.) from an area
(2)
: to clean away dirt or refuse from : cleanse
scavenge a street
b
: to feed on (carrion or refuse)
2
a
: to remove (burned gases) from the cylinder of an internal combustion engine after a working stroke
b
: to remove (something, such as an undesirable constituent) from a substance or region by chemical or physical means
c
: to clean and purify (molten metal) by taking up foreign elements in chemical union
3
: to salvage from discarded or refuse material
also
: to salvage usable material from
: to work or act as a scavenger
Examples of scavenge in a Sentence
Rats scavenged in the trash.
The bears scavenged the woods for food.
He scavenged the town dump for automobile parts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Veterinarians urge pet owners to ensure their cats and dogs don't hunt birds or scavenge the carcasses of birds or other animals to avoid the risk of infection.
—
Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 21 June 2024
Catch an eggs-citing train ride, enjoy a delicious brunch, meet the Easter Bunny, and scavenge for eggs.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2024
Officials in Indiana report 38 people injured, no deaths in tornadoes
With flashing emergency lights and strewn power lines around her, Ellie Rohrer and her siblings scavenged a pile of objects.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024
Nat and Michonne spend several months recovering from the gas in a shopping mall with oxygen tanks scavenged from a nearby medical plaza.
—Leah Marilla Thomas, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scavenge 
Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 21 June 2024
Catch an eggs-citing train ride, enjoy a delicious brunch, meet the Easter Bunny, and scavenge for eggs.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2024
Officials in Indiana report 38 people injured, no deaths in tornadoes
With flashing emergency lights and strewn power lines around her, Ellie Rohrer and her siblings scavenged a pile of objects.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024
Nat and Michonne spend several months recovering from the gas in a shopping mall with oxygen tanks scavenged from a nearby medical plaza.
—Leah Marilla Thomas, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scavenge
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scavenge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near scavenge
Cite this Entry
“Scavenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scavenge. Accessed 14 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scavenge
verb
scav·enge
ˈskav-ənj 
-inj
scavenged; scavenging
: to collect usable things from what has been discarded
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