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as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound
her voice was scratchy from a cold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scratchy
Scrub them with the scratchy side of a sponge, and make sure to dry the wood immediately so that extra water doesn't linger.
—
Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
Our eyes are itchy, our throats are scratchy, our nose is runny, our head is pounding with congestion.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Your throat might feel dry and scratchy; maybe your muscles start to feel tight muscles.
—Katharine Gammon, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Overdosing detergent and allowing the soapy residue to become trapped along with body soil leaves fabrics stiff and scratchy.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scratchy
Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
Our eyes are itchy, our throats are scratchy, our nose is runny, our head is pounding with congestion.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Your throat might feel dry and scratchy; maybe your muscles start to feel tight muscles.
—Katharine Gammon, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Overdosing detergent and allowing the soapy residue to become trapped along with body soil leaves fabrics stiff and scratchy.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scratchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratchy
Adjective
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The green Rio Grande rests like a ribbon in the jaws of jagged canyons.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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The first was a gentle bell curve; the second was a jagged line, with two sharp peaks—one on the left, the other on the right.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In both Dream Scenario and The Drama, Borgli sides with the maligned, framing those who cast judgment as shrewish and needling (exemplified in The Drama with a deliciously irritating performance from Alana Haim).—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
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Here's where things get a bit irritating.—
Justin Pot,
PC Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As her own doppelgänger, Red, Nyong'o is as terrifying as Adelaide is terrified, speaking with a distinctive, hoarse voice that sends a chill up your spine.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Mar. 2026
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Tears have been shed, throats have been screamed hoarse.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Grand juries have since refused to bring new mortgage fraud charges against James and the Comey case is mired in a thorny evidentiary dispute and statute of limitations concerns.—
Eric Tucker,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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The trio of legal actions against Illinois, Connecticut and Arizona is the furthest Trump officials have gone to try to override state laws and set the rules for a fast-growing industry that has run headlong into thorny questions about insider trading and profiting off war and suffering.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As Liborio, an orphan who risked his life to cross the border and ended up living in the attic of a bookstore thanks to the kindness of the gruff owner, Chief (Eddie Marsan), the actor plays a narrator who consistently breaks the fourth wall.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
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As Woody Harrelson detailed Harrison Ford's accomplishments from the Actors Awards stage, the famously gruff actor seemed to squirm in his seat, somehow uncomfortable with praise even at the age of 83.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Based on the novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
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That songwriting technique led to his own prickly yet tasteful spin on post-punk.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Several husky owners echoed how quickly the screams can escalate.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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One such pet, Lainey, a husky shepherd, was found after going missing in Arizona with the help of a neighbor's Ring camera.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scratchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratchy. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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