scratchy

\ ˈskra-chē

How to pronounce scratchy (audio)

\

scratchier; scratchiest

Definition of scratchy

1 : marked or made with scratches scratchy drawing scratchy handwriting

2 : likely to scratch : prickly scratchy undergrowth

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

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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 Corbyn, a 70-year-old whose scratchy personality resembles that of Sanders, did well with young voters, winning 55 percent of them under age 30, compared with only 22 percent for the opposition Conservatives. — John Fund, National Review, "Democrats No Longer Dismiss Bernie Sanders’s Odds," 12 Jan. 2020 Pinned in the wreckage, Craig Layson sounded scratchy, adrenaline-fueled. — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "‘We’ve run into the side of a mountain’: Pilot’s final messages detailed in report on 2018 Denali crash that killed all aboard," 31 Oct. 2019 Non-linear sounds are generally scratchy, disorganized, and chaotic, like the sound of vocal cords vibrating violently during a blood-curdling scream. — Rosy Cordero, EW.com, "Nine Inch Nails, Pixies, Nirvana land on surprising top 10 scariest songs of all time list," 31 Oct. 2019 Waking up with a scratchy, dry throat after finally falling asleep can be frustrating. — Christie Griffin, CNN Underscored, "Get more sleep in 2020: Top-rated bedding, devices and more," 23 Jan. 2020 For most healthy people, exposure to wildfire smoke is just an annoyance, causing burning eyes, scratchy throats or chest discomfort that all disappear when the smoke clears. — NBC News, "Australian wildfire smoke stokes health fears in cities," 15 Jan. 2020 For most healthy people, exposure to wildfire smoke is just an annoyance, causing burning eyes, scratchy throats or chest discomfort that all disappear when the smoke clears. — Washington Post, "Australian wildfire smoke stokes health fears in cities," 15 Jan. 2020 Kari Sonde has gathered sick-day recipes for when the inevitable scratchy throats and rumbly bellies hit us. — The Washington Post, "Free Range on Food: Simple fermentation, a better cup of tea, an ode to an apron, this week's recipes and more!," 15 Jan. 2020 The campaign video features genre-appropriate dark lighting, pensive music, a scratchy radio voice, a yellow hazmat suit, and a scared wide-eyed child with unkempt hair. — Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, "Kafer: Romanoff political ad needs more zombies, less climate fear," 19 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scratchy.' 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

9 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Scratchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scratchy. Accessed 21 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for scratchy

scratchy

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of scratchy

: having a rough sound : having a sound like the sound made when something sharp or rough rubs against a surface or object

informal : rough and irritating to the skin : likely to make you itch

: swollen and sore

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

scratchy

\ ˈskra-chē

\

scratchier; scratchiest

Kids Definition of scratchy

1 : likely to injure with something sharp a scratchy rosebush

2 : causing irritation a scratchy wool sweater

3 : coarse sense 1 I shook his scratchy hand.

4 : somewhat sore a scratchy throat

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