1
as in to scratch
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface
scuffed up her shoes by rubbing her feet under the rung of the chair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
the miners scuffed past in heavy boots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scuff
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025
Clinical signs often start in one hind limb and then progress to include both, and may include difficulty rising, hind limb weakness, incoordination, muscle loss, and scuffed toenails on hind limbs.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025
Not to mention, underarm vents to regulate heat and maintain breathability, and abrasion-resistant scuff guards for added comfort.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scuff
Verb
Baseboards also tend to get scuffed a lot in an active household.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025
Clinical signs often start in one hind limb and then progress to include both, and may include difficulty rising, hind limb weakness, incoordination, muscle loss, and scuffed toenails on hind limbs.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
The interior is made with recycled materials that resist moisture and can be spot cleaned if a spill or scuff pops up.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025
Not to mention, underarm vents to regulate heat and maintain breathability, and abrasion-resistant scuff guards for added comfort.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuff
Verb
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Do not use harsh scrubbing sponges or steel wool that can scratch surfaces and cause waffle batter to stick.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
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Nonstick Pans Nonstick cookware needs to be replaced once the surface is scratched or chipped.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The race for Los Angeles mayor has been in an extraordinary state of flux, with the candidate lineup shuffling and reshuffling in the final days before the filing deadline.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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The Moore administration has chosen the opposite approach, doubling down on spending while shuffling money around in a game of three-card monte.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fennell begins on a black screen and the sound of creaks and moans.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Hearing the house creak in the recordings was important, Auerbach said.—
Audrey Gibbs,
USA Today,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some Walmart shoppers could have already seen egg prices drop at their local stores, according to USA TODAY's shopping cart tracker, powered by Bright Data, a data-scraping company.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Yet Garner still had to scrape to get by while her career was gaining steam in the 1990s.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The first trailer for this macho survival flick just stomped onto the internet last week with a gung-ho spirit and guns blazing.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Seattle Seahawks stomped a mud hole in the New England Patriots.—
Prince J. Grimes,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With his tree-bark rasp, Gabe raps hard as hell and pulls little storytelling tricks out of his bag.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
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The routine that followed was more mumbly than inspired, delivered in a smoker’s rasp and with a downcast gaze.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Jaelin Kauff is easily through after her quarterfinal opponent Anastassiya Gordodko stumbles.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
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Gold-medal favorite figure skater Ilia Malinin stumbled to eighth in stunning fashion, citing the pressure of his first Olympics.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuff. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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