Scrabbled

To move or struggle hastily or clumsily, often with the hands or feet; to scratch or grope about, especially in search of something. It can imply a frantic, urgent, or somewhat disorganized action, and can also refer to a situation where someone or something is struggling to advance or maintain a position. Furthermore, it can be utilized when describing a process that involves working rapidly with one's hands or digging in soil. The context often indicates a sense of urgency, desperation, or a lack of grace.

Scrabbled meaning with examples

• The child, realizing the ice cream truck was leaving, scrabbled frantically for the few coins clutched in her tiny hand, her face flushed with a mixture of urgency and disappointment. She managed to gather enough coins to get to the truck, but the truck had already started moving.
• Stranded in the harsh desert, the survivors scrabbled in the sand for any sign of water or any food they could find. Every member of the group knew that finding any type of sustenance was paramount in the struggle for survival.
• As the fire began to engulf the shed, the homeowner scrabbled to retrieve his important papers and valuables, knowing that he had only a few moments before the building became a raging inferno. It was a race against time.
• After the avalanche, rescuers scrabbled through the snow, desperately searching for survivors buried beneath the enormous mass, hoping against hope that the victims could still be pulled out alive.