: a thin growth of beard : stubble
He's lean, and not too tall, with spiky hair, scruff on his chin, and a deep voice.—
Margot Cleary
Margot ClearyThe uniform isn't so much suit and tie as it is plaid shirt, work boots, and two-day scruff.—Laura Regensdorf
Laura RegensdorfExamples of scruff in a Sentence
Noun (1)
She held the kitten by the scruff of its neck.
Recent Examples on the WebCatherine Santino, Peoplemag, 1 Aug. 2024
But the most classically stylish amount of scruff to have is none at all.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 18 July 2024
Seize that second chance by the scruff of its neck and hunt away.
—Serena Brown, refinery29.com, 11 June 2024
My job is to grab readers by the scruff of the neck and pull them into the story.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for scruff 
Noun
In one Stories post, Taylor-Johnson appears with his usual scruff, including his long hair slicked back and his fluffy beard on full display.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 1 Aug. 2024
But the most classically stylish amount of scruff to have is none at all.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 18 July 2024
Seize that second chance by the scruff of its neck and hunt away.
—Serena Brown, refinery29.com, 11 June 2024
My job is to grab readers by the scruff of the neck and pull them into the story.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for scruff
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scruff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near scruff
Cite this Entry
“Scruff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scruff. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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