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Related Words for scratch the surface
Compiled automatically from published text to show words that appear in related contexts.
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Results may indicate historical usage, and do not reflect the views of Merriam-Webster.
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| Word | Syllables | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| scratch an itch | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| scratch one's head | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| scratch a living | /x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| cut corners | //x | Phrase, Verb |
| scratch | / | Noun |
| scrape along | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| cut it close | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| lay a finger on | /x/x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| cut one's teeth | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| peek | / | Noun |
| lick | / | Noun |
| grasp at straws | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| cut to the quick | //x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| get one's feet wet | //// | Phrase, Verb |
| take a stab at | /x// | Phrase, Verb |
| touch on | // | Phrase, Verb |
| touch upon | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| cut it | // | Phrase, Verb |
| guess | / | Noun |
| slip through the cracks | //x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| poke | / | Noun |
| look through | // | Phrase, Verb |
| leave nothing to the imagination | //x/xx/x/x | Phrase |
| make a dent | /xx | Phrase, Verb |
| test the waters | /x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| fall short | // | Phrase, Verb |
| steal a glance | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| try one's hand | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| lay eyes on | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| lick one's chops | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| cut to the chase | //x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| paper over the cracks | /x/xx/ | Phrase |
| hit the ground running | /x//x | Phrase, Verb |
| touch up | // | Phrase, Verb |
| hit the pavement | /x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| bring up short | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| beat around the bush | /x/x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| go through the motions | //x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| grasp the nettle | /x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| fall through the cracks | //x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| damn with faint praise | //// | Phrase, Verb |
| get down to brass tacks | ///// | Phrase, Verb |
| catch a break | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| bite off more than one can chew | /////x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| feel one's way | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| cut it fine | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| come across | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| strike | / | Noun |
| lift a finger | /x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| strike a blow | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| get under someone's skin | //x/x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| hit off | // | Phrase, Verb |
| dig in | /x | Phrase, Verb |
| brush aside | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| give something a whirl | //xx/ | Phrase, Verb |
| run across | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| touch a nerve | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| slash | / | Noun |
| hit the dirt | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| work one's fingers to the bone | ///x/x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| sweat the small stuff | /x// | Phrase, Verb |
| crack a smile | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| hit on | // | Phrase, Verb |
| sweep aside | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| tread water | //x | Phrase, Verb |
| flake | / | Noun |
| feel out | // | Phrase, Verb |
| hack it | // | Phrase, Verb |
| plunge in | /x | Phrase, Verb |
| nip in the bud | /xx/ | Phrase, Verb |
| grab at | // | Phrase, Verb |
| get to first base | //// | Phrase, Verb |
| break the back of | /x// | Phrase, Verb |
| budge an inch | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| take a chance | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| take lightly | //x | Phrase, Verb |
| sweep something under the rug | //x/xx/ | Phrase, Verb |
| cut a dash | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| cut the mustard | /x/x | Phrase, Verb |
| browse | / | Noun |
| run short | // | Phrase, Verb |
| mess around | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| take the plunge | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| cut down | // | Phrase, Verb, Adjective |
| dive in | /x | Phrase, Verb |
| trim one's sails | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| break cover | //x | Phrase, Verb |
| scratch someone's back | //x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| lick one's wounds | /// | Phrase, Verb |
| get cracking | //x | Phrase, Verb |
| put through its paces | ////x | Phrase |
| tread on someone's toes | ///x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| put to the test | //x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| skin | / | Noun |
| tread lightly | //x | Phrase, Verb |
| feel the pinch | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| get one's foot in the door | ///xx/ | Phrase, Verb |
| bite the dust | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| settle for | /x/ | Phrase, Verb |
| aboveground | x/x | Adjective |
| abrasion | x/x | Noun |
| acreage | /xx | Noun |
| acres | /x | Noun |
| adhesion | x/x | Noun |
| afresh | x/ | Adverb |
| airfoil | /x | Noun |
| amount | x/ | Noun, Verb |
| anything | /xx | Noun, Verb, Adverb |
| apparent | x/x | Adjective |
| appear | x/ | Verb |
| appearance | x/x | Noun |
| area | /xx | Noun |
| arise | x/ | Verb, Noun |
| atmospheric | xx/x | Adjective |
| axe | / | Noun, Verb |
| basis | /x | Noun |
| beginning | x/x | Noun, Adjective |
| bevel | /x | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| bite | / | Noun, Verb |
| blacktop | /x | Noun, Verb |
| blood | / | Noun, Verb |
| board | / | Noun, Verb |
| body | /x | Noun, Verb |
| bottom | /x | Noun, Adjective, Verb |
| bristle | /x | Noun, Verb |
| bristly | /x | Adjective |
| bruise | / | Noun, Verb |
| brushed | / | Adjective |
| bump | / | Noun, Verb |
| calligraphic | xx/x | Adjective |
| camel | /x | Noun, Adjective |
| carriageway | /xx | Noun |
| casing | /x | Noun |
| casual | /xx | Adjective, Noun |
| cat | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| celestial sphere | x/x/ | Phrase, Noun |
| cement | x/ | Noun, Verb |
| chafe | / | Noun, Verb |
| chicken feed | /x/ | Phrase, Noun |
| chink | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| ciel | / | Verb |
| cladding | /x | Noun |
| claw | / | Noun, Verb |
| cloak | / | Noun, Verb |
| coat | / | Noun, Verb |
| come on | // | Phrase, Verb |
| come out | // | Phrase, Verb |
| come up | // | Phrase, Verb, Noun |
| contour | /x | Noun, Verb |
| copper | /x | Noun, Adjective, Verb |
| cosmetic | x/x | Adjective, Noun |
| cover | /x | Verb, Noun, Adjective |
| crack | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| crumb | / | Noun, Verb |
| cull | / | Noun, Verb |
| cursory | /xx | Adjective |
| cut | / | Verb, Noun, Adjective |
| daub | / | Noun, Verb |
| deck | / | Noun, Verb |
| dent | / | Noun, Verb |
| devil | /x | Noun, Verb |
| discard | x/ | Verb, Noun |
| dough | / | Noun, Verb |
| draft | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| dredge | / | Noun, Verb |
| dynamic | x/x | Adjective, Noun |
| earth | / | Noun, Verb |
| easel | /x | Noun |
| edge | / | Noun, Verb |
| egg | / | Noun, Verb |
| electrokinetic | x/xx/x | Adjective |
| elevator | /xxx | Noun, Verb |
| emerge | x/ | Verb, Noun |
| end | / | Noun, Verb |
| enhanced | x/ | Adjective |
| eraser | x/x | Noun |
| erosion | x/x | Noun |
| erosive | x/x | Adjective |
| expanse | x/ | Noun |
| extent | x/ | Noun, Adjective |
| exterior | x/xx | Noun, Adjective |
| facade | x/ | Noun |
| face | / | Noun, Verb |
| facile | /x | Adjective |
| façade | // | Noun |
| fillet | x/ | Noun, Verb |
| finish | /x | Verb, Noun |
| firmament | /xx | Noun |
| flange | / | Noun, Verb |
| flap | / | Noun, Verb |
| flat | / | Adjective, Adverb, Noun, Verb |
| flimsy | /x | Adjective, Noun, Verb |
| flip | / | Adjective, Verb, Noun |
| floor | / | Noun, Verb |
| fly | / | Verb, Noun, Adjective |
| footprint | /x | Noun |
| fore | / | Noun, Adjective, Adverb |
| forget | x/ | Verb, Noun |
| fray | / | Noun, Verb |
| fret | / | Verb, Noun |
| friction | /x | Noun |
| frivolous | /xx | Adjective |
| furrows | /x | Adjective |
| galvanize | /xx | Verb |
| gap | / | Noun, Verb |
| gash | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| glaze | / | Noun, Verb |
| glitch | / | Noun, Verb |
| grade | / | Noun, Verb |
| graze | / | Verb, Noun |
| grit | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| grope | / | Verb, Noun |
| ground | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| handle | /x | Verb, Noun |
| hankering | /xx | Noun |
| head | / | Noun, Adjective, Verb |
| heaven | /x | Noun, Verb |
| hurt | / | Verb, Noun, Adjective |
| ic | x | Name, Adjective |
| ice | / | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| incision | x/x | Noun |
| ingredient | x/xx | Noun |
| inside | x/ | Adverb, Noun, Adjective |
| interface | /xx | Noun, Verb |
| interior | x/xx | Noun, Adjective |
| itch | / | Noun, Verb |
| kinematic | xx/x | Adjective |
| kinetic | x/x | Adjective |
| knob | / | Noun, Verb |
| land | / | Noun, Verb |
| landmass | /x | Noun |
| layer | /x | Noun, Verb |
| leading edge | /x/ | Phrase, Noun |
| level | /x | Noun, Adjective, Verb |
| light | / | Noun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb |
| line | / | Noun, Verb |
| liner | /x | Noun, Verb |
| macroscopic | /x/x | Adjective |
| mantle | /x | Noun, Verb |
| marble | /x | Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| margin | /x | Noun, Verb |
| mark | / | Noun, Verb |
| membrane | /x | Noun |
| meniscus | x/x | Noun |
| metal | /x | Noun, Adjective, Verb |
| mined | / | Adjective |
| molecular | x/xx | Adjective, Noun |
| money | /x | Noun, Adjective |
| mounted | /x | Adjective |
| nada | /x | Noun |
| nick | / | Name, Verb |
| nil | / | Noun |
| nominal | /xx | Adjective, Noun |
| none | / | Noun, Adverb |
| noodle | /x | Noun, Verb |
| notch | / | Noun, Verb |
| nothing | /x | Noun, Adverb, Adjective |
| nought | / | Adjective, Verb, Noun, Adverb |
| null | / | Adjective, Noun, Verb |
| open | /x | Adjective, Verb, Noun |
| oscillatory | /xxxx | Adjective |
| out | / | Adverb, Noun, Verb, Adjective |
| outer | /x | Adjective, Noun |
| outset | /x | Noun, Verb |
| outside | // | Adjective, Noun, Adverb, Verb |
