scratchier; scratchiest
1
: marked or made with scratches
scratchy drawing
scratchy handwriting
3
: making a scratching noise
4
: uneven in quality : ragged
5
: causing tingling or itching : irritating
scratchy wool
6
: somewhat inflamed and sore
a scratchy throat
Examples of scratchy in a Sentence
listening to scratchy old records
The costume is made from scratchy material.
He is sick with a scratchy throat.
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the most poignant choices is to intercut scratchy film of the train that in 1921 transported the Unknown Soldier to Rome in a coffin draped with patriotic banners and flowers, to be enshrined in the Altar of the Fatherland with an eternal flame at the Vittorio Emanuele II monument.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Even though modern machines and detergents have taken most of the workload out of the task, there are still some outdated laundry habits that may leave your clothes and linens looking dingy, smelling less than fresh, and feeling scratchy.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025
The cups are removable, which is nice, depending on my mood, and the lace isn’t itchy or scratchy on my sensitive skin.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 4 Aug. 2025
The effects can be felt right away, says the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with symptoms including a scratchy throat, coughing, trouble breathing, and chest pain.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scratchy
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David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Even though modern machines and detergents have taken most of the workload out of the task, there are still some outdated laundry habits that may leave your clothes and linens looking dingy, smelling less than fresh, and feeling scratchy.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025
The cups are removable, which is nice, depending on my mood, and the lace isn’t itchy or scratchy on my sensitive skin.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 4 Aug. 2025
The effects can be felt right away, says the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with symptoms including a scratchy throat, coughing, trouble breathing, and chest pain.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scratchy
Cite this Entry
“Scratchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scratchy. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scratchy
adjective
scratchier; scratchiest
1
: likely to scratch or make sore or raw : prickly
scratchy woolens
2
: making a scratching noise
3
: marked or made with scratches
a scratchy surface
scratchy handwriting
4
: uneven in quality : ragged
played a scratchy game of golf
5
: somewhat sore
a scratchy throat
scratchiness
noun
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