1 B2 informal
To write something in illegible, messy handwriting.
"The doctor scrawled out a prescription that the pharmacist could barely decipher."
separable
scrawl out
B2 informal separable transitive
To write something in a messy or illegible way.
In plain English
To write something, but in such a messy way that it is hard to read.
What does "scrawl out" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To scrawl (write messily) something out (producing it completely).
Actually means
To write something, but in such a messy way that it is hard to read.
Usage tip
Slightly more emphatic than simply 'scrawl' — the 'out' particle implies completing the act of writing something in full, however poorly. Common in narrative writing to describe a character's handwriting.
Words that pair with "scrawl out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
name signature message note address instructions
How to conjugate "scrawl out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
scrawl out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scrawls out
he/she/it
Past simple
scrawled out
yesterday
Past participle
scrawled out
have + pp
-ing form
scrawling out
continuous
Hear "scrawl out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "scrawl out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "scrawl out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.