scuff

play

verb \ ˈskəf \

Definition of scuff

intransitive verb

1 a :to walk without lifting the feet :shuffle

b :to poke or shuffle a foot in exploration or embarrassment

2 :to become scratched, chipped, or roughened by wear

a countertop that won't scuff

transitive verb

1 :³cuff

2 a :to scrape (the feet) along a surface while walking or back and forth while standing

b :to poke at with the toe

3 :to scratch, gouge, or wear away the surface of

scuffed my shoes

See scuff defined for English-language learners

See scuff defined for kids

Examples of scuff in a Sentence

She scuffed down the hall towards her room.
scuffed up her shoes by rubbing her feet under the rung of the chair

Recent Examples of scuff from the Web

The striker then nearly made an instant impact, after a mazy run from England winger Sterling created a brief opportunity for the stocky Argentinian forward, who scuffed his shot into Begovic.

— SI.com, "Bournemouth 1-2 Man City: Citizens Snatch Last Gasp Winner as Sterling Earns Win and Red Card," 26 Aug. 2017
Except for some light scuffing on the bright metal accents, the interior had also nicely survived the car’s multiplicity of dance partners.

— al haas, Philly.com, "'Test driving' a 2016 Nissan Pathfinder S rental," 21 July 2017
Breaking up smooth surfaces and scuffing up perfection are some of Ms. Halo’s objectives in her own work.

— andy beta, New York Times, "Laurel Halo Shakes Up Her Sound After Partnering With a Humanoid Pop Star," 21 June 2017
One of the suspect then kicked the driver’s Camaro, scuffing the bumper.

— law enforcement, The Denver Post, "Douglas County Crime Blotter: Man driving BMW with top down has window shot out," 21 Mar. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of scuff

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1768

See Words from the same year

scuff Synonyms

Synonyms

abrade, graze, scratch, scrape

Antonyms

breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk

Related Words

bark, skin; chafe, fret, gall; claw, cut, lacerate; bruise, contuse

Near Antonyms

polish, smooth, soften, wax

scuff

noun

Definition of scuff

1 a :a noise of or as if of scuffing

b :the act or an instance of scuffing

c :a mark or injury caused by scuffing

2 :a flat-soled slipper without quarter or heel strap — compare mule

See scuff defined for English-language learners

Examples of scuff in a Sentence

She slid into her scuffs and headed into the kitchen.

Recent Examples of scuff from the Web

To get rid of a scuff mark, however, go ahead and brush it vigorously back and forth to lift the grain back up.

— scott christian, Esquire, "The Right Way to Keep Your Suede Shoes Clean," 9 Aug. 2017
Dozens of other balls are thrown out of play by the umpires or players because of scuffs or stains.

— kirk kenney, sandiegouniontribune.com, "The ol' ball game: Fans at Petco Park have a ball when they get one," 2 July 2017
Law enforcement images of metal nuts and screws propelled by the blast, and of damage nearby, show that the bomb's makeshift shrapnel penetrated metal doors and left deep scuffs in brick walls.

— the new york times, NOLA.com, "Manchester bombing: Authorities recover explosive devices," 24 May 2017
The dirt actually helps, like shoe polish—hides the scuffs.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Herman Melville, Volume I," 27 Mar. 2017
The room was freshly painted, and the floors were so new that they were covered with brown paper to prevent scuff marks.

— nikita stewart, New York Times, "Fury Over Brooklyn Shelter Reflects Difficulty of Curbing Homelessness," 8 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of scuff

1899

SCUFF Defined for English Language Learners

scuff

play

verb

Definition of scuff for English Language Learners

: to make a mark or scratch in the surface of (something) by scraping it
: to walk without lifting your feet : to drag your feet while you walk

scuff

noun

Definition of scuff for English Language Learners

: a mark that is made by scuffing something
scuffs : slippers that are open at the heel

SCUFF Defined for Kids

scuff

play

verb \ ˈskəf \

Definition of scuff for Students

scuffed; scuffing

1 :to scrape the feet while walking

2 :to mark or scratch by scraping

Don't scuff your good shoes.

Learn More about scuff

See words that rhyme with scuff Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for scuff Spanish Central: Translation of scuff Nglish: Translation of scuff for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of scuff for Arabic speakers

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Origin and Etymology of scuff

scuff Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

scuff

Definition of scuff

Examples of scuff in a Sentence

Recent Examples of scuff from the Web

First Known Use of scuff

SCUFF Defined for English Language Learners

scuff

Definition of scuff for English Language Learners

scuff

Definition of scuff for English Language Learners

SCUFF Defined for Kids

scuff

Definition of scuff for Students

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