scrape

verb

\ ˈskrāp

scraped; scraping

Definition of scrape

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to remove from a surface by usually repeated strokes of an edged instrument

b : to make (a surface) smooth or clean with strokes of an edged instrument or an abrasive

2a : to grate harshly over or against

b : to damage or injure the surface of by contact with a rough surface

c : to draw roughly or noisily over a surface

3 : to collect by or as if by scraping —often used with up or together scrape up the price of a ticket

intransitive verb

1 : to move in sliding contact with a rough surface

2 : to accumulate money by small economies

3 : to draw back the foot along the ground in making a bow

4 : to make one's way with difficulty : barely manage or succeed just scraped through at school working two jobs and barely scraping by

scrape

noun

Definition of scrape (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the act or process of scraping

b : a sound made by scraping

c : a mark or injury caused by scraping : abrasion bumps and scrapes

2a : the nest of a bird consisting of a usually shallow depression in the ground

b : a cleared area on the forest floor made by a male deer during breeding season to attract a doe

3 : a bow made with a drawing back of the foot along the ground

4a : a distressing encounter a scrape with death

b : altercation, fight

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Synonyms for scrape

Synonyms: Verb

grate, grind, rasp, scratch

Synonyms: Noun

brush, encounter, hassle, run-in, skirmish

Examples of scrape in a Sentence

Verb

Someone had scraped the car with a key. I scraped one of the chairs while bringing it up the stairs. I scraped my knee when I fell. fingernails scraping against a blackboard the sound of chairs scraping on the floor as people stood to leave The boat scraped against the edge of the dock. She scraped her fingernails across the blackboard. The deer scraped its antlers against the tree. Scrape the seeds into a bowl. Scrape the paint from the wood.

Noun

There's a scrape on the fender that wasn't there yesterday. I got a scrape on my knee when I fell. We survived the accident with a few minor bumps and scrapes. She got into a few scrapes with the police when she was younger. the scrape of fingernails on a blackboard

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Before the 2014 tournament in Brazil, if someone had predicted that eventual champions Germany would struggle to draw with Ghana, scrape past Algeria after extra time and hammer host nation Brazil 7-1, most people would have laughed at them. — SI.com, "World Cup Countdown: 1 Day to Go - Hosts Brazil Suffer Record Humiliation Against Phenomenal Germans," 13 June 2018 Using a thin metal spatula, scrape bottom of skillet and loosen meat. — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit, "Steak, Snap Pea, and Asparagus Stir-Fry," 4 May 2018 Options included $4,840 for visible carbon fiber in places like the A-pillars, and a $2,510 hydraulic lift to raise the nose so the low aerodynamic air splitter doesn’t scrape the ground pulling into driveways and parking lots. — Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, "212-mph, $331K 2018 McLaren 720S rewrites the book on supercar style," 25 Apr. 2018 Administrators of private groups, some of which have tens of thousands of members, could also let apps scrape the Facebook posts and profiles of members of those groups. — Anchorage Daily News, "Facebook hackers likely hit most users," 5 Apr. 2018 Administrators of private groups, some of which have tens of thousands of members, could also let apps scrape the Facebook posts and profiles of members of that group. — The Washington Post, OregonLive.com, "Personal data of nearly 2 billion users collected and shared with outsiders, Facebook says," 4 Apr. 2018 Late on Friday, The Guardian published a detailed interview with whistleblower Christopher Wylie, a former Cambridge Analytica staffer, who was involved in building its data operations to scrape user data from Facebook. — CBS News, "What you need to know about Facebook & Cambridge Analytica," 20 Mar. 2018 Let cool, scrape the flesh into a bowl, and set aside. — Daniel Boulud, ELLE Decor, "Daniel Boulud's Scallop Rosettes with Spaghetti Squash," 4 Oct. 2013 Put on a dual-cartridge respirator and scrape a small amount of popcorn off the ceiling and into a resealable plastic bag. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling," 25 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Jack had been quick enough to escape with just a few scrapes. — Sara Clemence, Town & Country, "A Five-Star Hotel Room Almost Killed My Child," 6 June 2017 This includes a spoonful of peanut butter for incentive and a couple of swim floats for protection against bumps and scrapes during the learning process. — Alexis Hobbs, Woman's Day, "WATCH: Scooter, The Adorable Two-Legged Dog, Learns How to Walk," 7 Aug. 2015 The party took place outside in the garden, and guests sipped cocktails while a local Bahamian rake-n-scrape band called The Lasido Boys performed. — Alexandra Macon, Vogue, "A Wedding Weekend Under the Palm Trees and Stars at the Lyford Cay Club," 23 Jan. 2019 As a result, trackers can recognize scrape marks and install camera traps to identify individual cats based on their spots, which are as unique as fingerprints. — Adam Popescu, Washington Post, "Tracking one of the world’s most elusive cats," 19 May 2018 The news release said officers suffered cuts, scrapes, bites and bruises that required treatment at a hospital. — Alex Derosier And Jonathan Drew, Fox News, "DA: No charges for police videotaped subduing man with baton," 20 Aug. 2018 During one of them, a field of minute cries, scrapes, whistles, trills, drones and multiphonics comes at you as if from underwater. — John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, "Bella Voce looks back on its storied past, Bach Week projects spirit of its namesake forward," 29 Apr. 2018 Another local company, Microsoft, had its own scrape with an activist investor — ValueAct Capital — that ended last year. — Scott Deveau, The Seattle Times, "Activist investor Bill Ackman buys $900 million stake in Starbucks," 9 Oct. 2018 The specter of death is always there for Janet, whether through her interactions with Ed White’s widow (Olivia Hamilton) or the scrapes and bruises her husband comes home with after an accident with a lunar landing vehicle simulator. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "First Man is one of the most intense space movies of all time," 12 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scrape.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Apr 2019

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Time Traveler for scrape

The first known use of scrape was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for scrape

scrape

verb

English Language Learners Definition of scrape

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to damage (the surface of something) or hurt (a part of your body) by rubbing something rough or sharp against it or by making it rub against something rough or sharp

: to rub or cause (something) to rub against a hard surface and make a harsh and usually unpleasant sound

: to remove (something) from a surface by rubbing an object or tool against it

scrape

noun

English Language Learners Definition of scrape (Entry 2 of 2)

: a mark or injury that is caused by something rubbing against something else

informal : a bad, dangerous, or unpleasant situation

: a harsh and usually unpleasant sound that is made when something rubs against a hard surface

See the full definition for scrape in the English Language Learners Dictionary

scrape

verb

\ ˈskrāp

scraped; scraping

Kids Definition of scrape

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to remove by repeated strokes with something sharp or rough He scraped a patch of crust off with his fingernail.— Jerry Spinelli, Maniac Magee

2 : to clean or smooth by rubbing I scraped the windshield to clear off the ice.

3 : to rub or cause to rub so as to make a harsh noise The boat's keel scraped the stony bottom.

4 : to hurt or roughen by dragging against a rough surface I scraped my knee on the pavement.

5 : to get with difficulty and a little at a time I'm trying to scrape up money.