scratched; scratching; scratches
1
: to scrape or dig with the claws or nails
2
: to rub and tear or mark the surface of with something sharp or jagged
3
a
: to scrape or rub lightly (as to relieve itching)
b
: to act on (a desire)
—used with itch
scratch the itch to travel
4
: to scrape together : collect with difficulty or by effort
scratch out a living
5
: to write or draw on a surface
6
a
: to cancel or erase by or as if by drawing a line through
b
: to withdraw (an entry) from competition
8
: to scrape along a rough surface
scratch a match
1
: to use the claws or nails in digging, tearing, or wounding
2
: to scrape or rub oneself lightly (as to relieve itching)
3
: to gather money or make a living by hard work and especially through irregular means and sacrifice
had to scratch and save for college
4
a
: to make a thin grating sound
b
: to produce a rhythmic scratching sound by or as if by moving a phonograph record back and forth under a phonograph needle
5
: to withdraw from a contest or engagement
6
: to make a scratch in billiards or pool
scratcher
noun
1
: a mark or injury produced by scratching
also
: a slight wound
3
: the sound made by scratching
4
: the starting line in a race
5
a
: a test of courage
b
: satisfactory condition, level, or performance
not up to scratch
6
: a contestant whose name is withdrawn
7
: poultry feed (such as mixed grains) scattered on the litter or ground especially to induce birds to exercise
called also scratch feed
8
a
: a shot in billiards or pool that ends a player's turn
specifically
: a shot in pool in which the cue ball falls into the pocket
b
: a shot that scores by chance : fluke
1
: arranged or put together with little selection : haphazard
a scratch team
2
: made as or used for a tentative effort
3
: made or done by chance and not as intended
a scratch shot
4
: having no handicap or allowance
a scratch golfer
5
: made from scratch : made with basic ingredients
a scratch cake
Did you know?
The phrase up to scratch has its origins in the world of sports. In the 18th century, scratch began to be used for a line or mark that served as the starting point in a contest or competition. In order to begin or continue a fight, for example, a pugilist would "come up to the scratch," positioning himself at a line drawn across the prize ring. Up to the scratch was soon being used figuratively of anyone who was ready and able to do something. Over the years, the usage of the phrase has evolved somewhat, but something that is "up to scratch" can still be said to be ready and able in that it is capable of functioning or performing as expected.
Synonyms
Examples of scratch in a Sentence
Verb
Will you scratch my back for me?
Scratching the itch only makes it worse.
The dog scratched its ear.
You shouldn't scratch. It'll just make your itch worse.
Thorns scratched our legs as we climbed through the briars.
Careful, the cat will scratch.
The dog was scratching at the door.
Be careful not to scratch the table.
Someone scratched the paint on my car.
The little boy scratched lines in the dirt with a stick.
Noun
There's a scratch in the paint on the new car!
The table is an antique but it doesn't have any dents or scratches.
I got a scratch on my leg when I climbed the fence.
The only sound in the room during the test was the scratch of pencils on paper.
We don't have the scratch to buy a new car.
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Gardner, Health, 13 Apr. 2024
Pets can make a house a home, but stopping your cats from scratching the furniture isn’t always easy.
—Helen Carefoot, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Three months after arriving in Miami, Simpson got involved in a road rage argument, and was accused of battery and burglary by a man who said Simpson reached through the driver’s side window, ripped off his sunglasses and scratched his face.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Prior to this year’s April Fools’ release, the team was interested in making a horror game, and Content Warning gave them the chance to scratch that itch.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024
African pygmy falcons let out a piercing calls, scratching guests’ ears.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
If they’re damaged, torn or scratched, toss them away.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
The rockers' rubber padding underneath also prevents them from scratching your deck.
—Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2024
And if the lenses of your solar glasses are scratched damaged?
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Apr. 2024
Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Three cars were fabricated from scratch while the fourth was made from an ex P3 chassis.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024
If there’s even a scratch or a doubt, calling 911 should be your immediate action.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The gloves are also handy for work in brushy yards and will protect against scratches from branches, insect bites, and poison ivy.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said eight of its warplanes – six F-16s and two F-5s – suffered scratches during the temblor.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
According to Cognition, Devin can perform all these tasks unassisted: build a website from scratch and deploy it, find and fix bugs in codebases, and even train and fine-tune its own large language model.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Apr. 2024
In most teen dramas, when a moody 17-year-old is forced to relocate because of divorce or new step-parents, their only real tasks are to slam bedroom doors and worry about building their new social life from scratch.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024
Marketed under the name SawStop, it was designed to stop and retract the spinning blade within a few milliseconds of making contact with flesh — fast enough to turn a potentially life-changing injury into little more than a scratch.
—Chris Arnold, NPR, 2 Apr. 2024
Eric Alt, Popular Science, 20 Jan. 2021
Shop our favorite affordable Amazon gadgets, tools, and wares below: 1 Joseph Joseph Dish Brush With Integrated Sink Rest This curved, non-scratch brush offers thorough cleaning and won’t take up counter space.
—Megan Lasher, Popular Mechanics, 16 Mar. 2023
The same cleaning wisdom broadly applies here—use dish soap, warm water, and a non-scratch sponge.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2023
It’s also equipped with an anti-scratch brush roll that’s designed to keep your hardwood free from damage while also being compatible with carpet.
—Nicole Briese, USA TODAY, 10 July 2020
With an anti-fog, anti-scratch, polycarbonate high-density lens, this one is seriously protective — it’s certified for industrial use to protect against things like flying debris and chemical splashes.
—Elizabeth Wallace, CNN Underscored, 9 July 2020
Use ceramic cooktop cleaner with a non-scratch cleaning pad to maintain the cooktop.
—Cassidy Olsen, Good Housekeeping, 20 Jan. 2023
Stock up on specialty tools, like a plastic scraper, scrub brushes and non-scratch scouring pads.
—Maya Pottiger, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2022
Made of oxford cloth, this waterproof, anti-scratch, breathable cat carrier is both versatile and durable.
—Ysolt Usigan, Woman's Day, 29 Sep. 2022
Verb
Do not scratch or pick at the blisters, which might cause an infection.7
Tips
Canker sores and cold sores are both painful ulcers that can be bothersome, especially when eating.
—Amanda Gardner, Health, 13 Apr. 2024
Pets can make a house a home, but stopping your cats from scratching the furniture isn’t always easy.
—Helen Carefoot, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Three months after arriving in Miami, Simpson got involved in a road rage argument, and was accused of battery and burglary by a man who said Simpson reached through the driver’s side window, ripped off his sunglasses and scratched his face.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Prior to this year’s April Fools’ release, the team was interested in making a horror game, and Content Warning gave them the chance to scratch that itch.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024
African pygmy falcons let out a piercing calls, scratching guests’ ears.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
If they’re damaged, torn or scratched, toss them away.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
The rockers' rubber padding underneath also prevents them from scratching your deck.
—Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2024
And if the lenses of your solar glasses are scratched damaged?
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Apr. 2024
Noun
Previously, games had to be built from scratch, and companies kept their code proprietary: even knowing how to make a character crouch or jump gave them an edge.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Three cars were fabricated from scratch while the fourth was made from an ex P3 chassis.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024
If there’s even a scratch or a doubt, calling 911 should be your immediate action.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The gloves are also handy for work in brushy yards and will protect against scratches from branches, insect bites, and poison ivy.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said eight of its warplanes – six F-16s and two F-5s – suffered scratches during the temblor.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
According to Cognition, Devin can perform all these tasks unassisted: build a website from scratch and deploy it, find and fix bugs in codebases, and even train and fine-tune its own large language model.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Apr. 2024
In most teen dramas, when a moody 17-year-old is forced to relocate because of divorce or new step-parents, their only real tasks are to slam bedroom doors and worry about building their new social life from scratch.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024
Marketed under the name SawStop, it was designed to stop and retract the spinning blade within a few milliseconds of making contact with flesh — fast enough to turn a potentially life-changing injury into little more than a scratch.
—Chris Arnold, NPR, 2 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The lens also has an anti-scratch coating.
—Eric Alt, Popular Science, 20 Jan. 2021
Shop our favorite affordable Amazon gadgets, tools, and wares below: 1 Joseph Joseph Dish Brush With Integrated Sink Rest This curved, non-scratch brush offers thorough cleaning and won’t take up counter space.
—Megan Lasher, Popular Mechanics, 16 Mar. 2023
The same cleaning wisdom broadly applies here—use dish soap, warm water, and a non-scratch sponge.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2023
It’s also equipped with an anti-scratch brush roll that’s designed to keep your hardwood free from damage while also being compatible with carpet.
—Nicole Briese, USA TODAY, 10 July 2020
With an anti-fog, anti-scratch, polycarbonate high-density lens, this one is seriously protective — it’s certified for industrial use to protect against things like flying debris and chemical splashes.
—Elizabeth Wallace, CNN Underscored, 9 July 2020
Use ceramic cooktop cleaner with a non-scratch cleaning pad to maintain the cooktop.
—Cassidy Olsen, Good Housekeeping, 20 Jan. 2023
Stock up on specialty tools, like a plastic scraper, scrub brushes and non-scratch scouring pads.
—Maya Pottiger, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2022
Made of oxford cloth, this waterproof, anti-scratch, breathable cat carrier is both versatile and durable.
—Ysolt Usigan, Woman's Day, 29 Sep. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scratch.' 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 scratch
Cite this Entry
“Scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scratch. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scratch
1 of 2 verb1
: to scrape, rub, or injure with or as if with the claws or nails
2
: to act on (a desire)
—used with itch
scratch the itch to travel
3
: to make a living by hard work and saving
4
a
: to cancel or erase by or as if by drawing a line through
b
: to withdraw (an entry) from competition
5
: to write or draw especially hastily or carelessly : scrawl
6
: to scrape or rub oneself lightly especially to relieve itching
7
: to make a thin harsh sound
this pen scratches
scratcher
noun
scratch
2 of 2 noun1
: a mark (as a line) or injury made by scratching
also
: a slight wound
2
: the sound of scratching
3
: the line from which competitors start in a race
4
: satisfactory state or performance
not up to scratch
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