scratch 1 of 2

noun

Definition of scratchnext
1
as in scrape
a harsh grating sound the scratch of metal on metal is not a good sound for a car to make

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in money
slang something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment she treated her buddies to a drink whenever she had the scratch for it

Synonyms & Similar Words

scratch

2 of 2

verb

ˈskrach How to pronounce scratch (audio)
1
as in to scrape
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface scratched his arm on a branch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rub
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the branches of the willow tree scratch against the windowpane whenever the wind blows

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to scribble
to write or draw hastily or carelessly scratched a quick doodle in the margins

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scratch
Noun
Yes, because it’s made of durable Gorilla Glass to prevent scuffs and scratches. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 And perhaps most importantly — why do longevity clinics include scratch-and-sniff smell tests as part of their treatments? — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
That tale of two vaccines has experts scratching their heads. — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026 Other issues are scratched, damaged, or overly polished watches sold as mint, sellers who disappear after receiving payment, and shill bidding at online auctions. — Joe D'allegro, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scratch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratch
  1. scrape
  2. money
  3. rub
  4. scribble
  5. creak
  6. cash
  7. write
  8. coin
Noun
  • The Missouri researcher has captured and analyzed hundreds of thousands of trail-camera images over the years, with many of the best shots coming at scrapes doctored with a variety of scents and lures.
    — Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Memory is not so much a flow, sometimes, as a series of bumps and scrapes.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrape
Noun
  • The source expressed optimism that the military money would come through but cautioned that it neither had been secured nor guaranteed.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What if suddenly the family needed something from the nanny that money couldn’t simply buy?
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of money
Verb
  • Some of these practices have been reported on before, such as rubbing deodorant against colored pages from magazines to make eye shadow.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The story takes place around the Club Rumba Royale, where white Europeans and Congolese citizens rub shoulders, and where the captivating melodies of rumba merge with aspirations and fiery debates of independence.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • The messages, scribbled on whatever scrap of paper a sender could find, often featured misspellings and shaky penmanship; many older residents of rural areas did not know how to read or write well, if at all.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • His father, Bongo, recorded with artists on Houston label Swishahouse, while Toliver began scribbling rhymes in school notebooks and making rudimentary recordings through a PlayStation microphone.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of scribble
Noun
  • The distressed creak of nylon straps as the second coffin was lowered into the grave brought me back to the now.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Which, aurally, lies somewhere between a door creak and an ass smack.
    — Jason Sheeler, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of creak
Noun
  • Account holders can generally save their money in cash and invest funds within the accounts, similar to a retirement account like a 401(k).
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In 2004, the Pentagon hosted a contest that promised a cash prize to the winner of a driverless race through the desert.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of cash
Verb
  • Hirose, who also writes and edits, has constructed a brilliantly volatile scenario, vulnerable to any number of potentially explosive and destructive dramatic developments.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Maguire and Strayer co-wrote every song on Taking the Long Way along with Maines.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of write
Noun
  • The ancient coin is one of many that have surfaced across the United Kingdom.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • For now, the district is a strip mall of low-slung buildings whose tenants include a vape shop, a Filipino restaurant, a coin laundromat, and a cellphone store.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of coin

Phrases Containing scratch

Browse Nearby Words

scraps
scratch
scratched
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Cite this Entry

“Scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratch. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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