scratch 1 of 2

scratch

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scrape
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface scratched his arm on a branch

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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
Kakko’s departure didn’t mean the end of controversial scratches. Peter Baugh, New York Times, 19 June 2025 This essentially enables developers to access and modify the model’s core knowledge and bypass the high costs and time associated with training a system from scratch. Ryan Browne, CNBC, 10 June 2025
Verb
Vertical Velocity While coaster nuts had to say goodbye to the world's fastest roller coaster, Kingda Ka, when it was demolished at Six Flags Great Adventures in Jackson Township, N.J. earlier this year, one of the park's newest coasters is here to scratch a similar itch. Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 19 June 2025 That approach extends to how The Waterfront positions the town’s minority residents to scratch the façade of this mostly white, upper-class community. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for scratch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratch
Noun
  • There will be a few fewer bumps and bruises, fewer scrapes with injury, players’ health and energy preserved for the duration of the league’s longer, compact schedule.
    Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 18 June 2025
  • Pink scrape marks blossomed above and below his right eye.
    Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • Members also get Walmart cash rebates on travel services.
    Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • To model what this distribution — which will begin when the first baby bonds recipients turn 18 in 2041 — will look like, the cash catalyst program will also focus on giving money to people between the ages of 18 and 30.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Spray each area of the body for at least six seconds from just a few inches away, and then rub it in.
    Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 16 June 2025
  • Just slice an onion and rub it along the grates using tongs.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 15 June 2025
Verb
  • Sometimes, the cast and crew would spend all day hanging around a café in Montparnasse while Godard scribbled ideas on napkins.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
  • Some drivers have taken out their frustrations by scribbling curses against Uber and its executives on the walls inside the port-a-potties, lamenting the hourslong rides that result in no tips, or the days they’ve been locked out of their accounts with no explanation.
    Eli Tan, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • The dim shake of her flashlight on the wall, the creak of the floor.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2025
  • Like any old building, Larkin Lodge has creaks and drafts, but Emily thinks there’s more going on.
    Gabino Iglesias, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • There was no winner that night—there hadn’t been a winner for the past ninety-one drawings—and so the pool of money rolled over.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 19 June 2025
  • And sure, there are many reasons a brand might debut a more limited range: time, consumer interest, and money.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • His injuries left him unable to work, leading to financial woes that were exacerbated by extensive hospital bills for medical care, diagnostic tests and therapy, Moore wrote.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
  • That researcher wrote a report just on Mount Mansfield’s carabid beetles, and Narango’s team is identifying each species to compare results.
    Madeline Bodin, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • What once started as dropping a few coins into the arcade game to get extra lives or special moves has evolved into a more complex ecosystem.
    Bartosz Skwarczek, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • For the San Diegans who’ve plowed serious coin into SDFC matches, the event will pose a challenge.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratch. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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