scribble
Hastily jotted marks
Scribble is hasty, careless writing or drawing—marks made without attention to legibility or form.
Children scribble before they can write properly; adults scribble notes they may struggle to read later.
The word suggests speed over care: I scribbled down her number.
As a noun, a scribble is the messy result: The page was covered in scribbles.
Done with excessive speed
- hurriedDone too quickly
- jotBrief, hasty recording
- quickMoving with speed
- scrawlCareless, illegible writing
dash · illegible · slapdash · cursory · impatient · careless · messy · frantic
Careless, illegible writing
- messyLacking order or neatness
- unreadableCannot be deciphered
- smudgeUnclear dirty mark
- blotMark left by spillage
indecipherable · sloppy · tangled · cramped · faint · overlapping · doctor · signature
Brief internal message
marginalia · annotation · shorthand · address · message · napkin · sticky-note · notation
Wax pigment sticks
- stickfiguresSimplistic drawn humans
- fingerpaintHand-applied children's art medium
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
- playfulInclined toward fun
imagination · colorful · childhood · playtime · whimsical · storybook · coloring · preschool
Attaching identifying markers
- spraypaintPressurized pigment in cans
- vandalismWillful property damage
- muralsLarge wall paintings
- stencilCutout pattern for painting
marker · wall · bathroom · desk · carving · initials · defacement · unauthorized
Hasty informal drawing
- drawingMarks forming a picture
- cartoonAnimated or humorous illustration
- marginaliaNotes in page edges
- idleWithout activity or purpose
absentminded · daydream · mindless · boredom · distraction · notebook · meeting · lecture
Unintelligible speech or writing
- babbleIncoherent speech
- meaninglessLacking significance or purpose
- randomOccurring without pattern
- marksVisible signs or grades
preschooler · imitation · fake · unintelligible · symbols · squiggles · invented · abstract
rushed
Done with excessive speed
scrawl · dash · illegible · slapdash · cursory · impatient · careless · messy · frantic · sloppy
scrawl
Careless, illegible writing
- messyLacking order or neatness
- unreadableCannot be deciphered
- smudgeUnclear dirty mark
blot · indecipherable · sloppy · tangled · cramped · faint · overlapping · doctor · signature · handwriting
memo
Brief internal message
rough · marginalia · annotation · shorthand · address · message · napkin · sticky-note · notation · brainstorm
crayons
Wax pigment sticks
- stickfiguresSimplistic drawn humans
- fingerpaintHand-applied children's art medium
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
playful · imagination · colorful · childhood · playtime · whimsical · storybook · coloring · preschool · wobbly
tagging
Attaching identifying markers
- spraypaintPressurized pigment in cans
- vandalismWillful property damage
- muralsLarge wall paintings
stencil · marker · wall · bathroom · desk · carving · initials · defacement · unauthorized · public
sketch
Hasty informal drawing
- drawingMarks forming a picture
- cartoonAnimated or humorous illustration
- marginaliaNotes in page edges
idle · absentminded · daydream · mindless · boredom · distraction · notebook · meeting · lecture · ballpoint
gibberish
Unintelligible speech or writing
- babbleIncoherent speech
- meaninglessLacking significance or purpose
- randomOccurring without pattern
marks · preschooler · imitation · fake · unintelligible · symbols · squiggles · invented · abstract
- marksmark, blemish, blotch, stroke, seal of approval
- Scribblesdoodle, scrawl, squiggle, scratch, chicken scratch
- hard to readblurry text, illegible, faded print, blurred, smudged
- mark makingdraw, sketch, doodle, trace, line
- -le/-er verbsbabble, bubble, bumble, burble, crackle
- doodlesstick figure, smiley face, happy face, sad face, star
scribblecalligraphy
Ornamental handwriting art
neat · penmanship · copperplate · handwriting · inscribe
scribblecompose
Create or arrange
craft · author · formulate · articulate · edit
scribblemasterpiece
Supreme artistic achievement
illustration · artwork · fine art · drawing · sketch
scribbling, scribbled, scribbles, scribbler, scribblers, scribbly, scribblings