scratch 1 of 2

scratch

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scrape
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface scratched his arm on a branch

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to rub
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the branches of the willow tree scratch against the windowpane whenever the wind blows

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to scribble
to write or draw hastily or carelessly scratched a quick doodle in the margins

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scratch
Noun
Morgan, who is one half of the women's tag-team champions, had a scratch across her stomach as well as multiple bruises and scrapes up and down her arms. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2025 Montgomery stretched the advantage to three after three quarters despite Guerrero being called for his fourth foul and JJ Sanchez missing four possessions with a scratch on his neck. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
Stay tuned for some future articles devoted to Linux gaming, since this only scratches the surface. Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 Mock suggests using gentle cleaning tools to avoid scratching the flooring. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scratch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratch
Noun
  • Along the shoulder was a large scrape and there was a mark on his upper middle back.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Then Hincapie saw red for tangling with Simeone’s son Giuliano (who, just like his dad in the old days), did some expert meddling, including getting in a scrape with Granit Xhaka and theatrically zipping his own lips shut when the referee had words).
    Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The group expects a return to revenue growth and positive cash generation this year along with steady margins.
    Giulio Piovaccari, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Strong cash flows helped the firm swing to a net cash position of £475 million from having net debt of £2 billion in 2023.
    Royston Wild, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • For dried or sticky grease, Marshall suggests switching to dish soap diluted in water and rubbing gently with a soft sponge or microfiber cloth.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Should wooden parts continue to rub together, Ceja says a little wax, soap, or WD-40 can help reduce friction and keep things quiet.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Trump could scribble Kyle Rittenhouse's name on a napkin and have 50 votes to confirm him to any office in the federal government.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The cop obliged, scribbling the man’s address on a piece of paper.
    John Annese, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The boat moves and creaks, the sails flutter in the wind, and the crew gives a lusty hurrah as the course is set for Singapore.
    John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Gracey gets an astonishing amount across in the details: the goofy creak of a leather jumpsuit, a camera angle tilted to show the utterly unspectacular pulley system that yanked Williams upside-down in front of a crowd of 125,000.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • That figure reflects actual sales made through October — the holiday period money isn’t distributed until later in the fiscal year, the staff report notes.
    Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Subsequently released testimony and records indicated that some schools had policies of waving through applicants whose parents were expected to give a lot of money.
    Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Out of necessity, James Madison wrote, of some stable institution in the government.
    ABC NEWS, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2025
  • But drug use is still deeply intertwined with homelessness, both as a risk factor and an effect of losing housing, the researchers wrote.
    Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The Bahamas Assembly approved the coins, commissioning the Soho Mint in Birmingham, England, to produce them.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Meme coins, of which there are thousands, sit at the furthest end of the risk spectrum.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratch. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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