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

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2
as in cash
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
Doctors who authored the article warned that any direct human contact with a bat, even in the absence of a visible bite or scratch, should be discussed with public health authorities. — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 The research, which is being hailed as a major breakthrough, could usher in a new biotech era defined by synthetic organisms that can be grown from scratch and programmed to complete specific functions. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 1 July 2026
Verb
Some scratches early in this past season led to reports of Mintyukov requesting a trade, but the smooth-skating blueliner improved his play and settled in on Anaheim’s second defense pairing. — Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 July 2026 In April, when Rojas got news that his father had been rushed to the hospital, Roberts quickly took the decision on whether to play out of Rojas’ hands, scratching him from the lineup. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for scratch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratch
  1. scrape
  2. cash
  3. rub
  4. scribble
  5. creak
  6. money
  7. write
  8. coin
Noun
  • Three people were in the silver Chevrolet truck, and all managed to escape with minor cuts and scrapes, the sheriff’s office said.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • Open wounds include recent cuts and scrapes, surgery sites, and recent tattoos and piercings.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of scrape
Noun
  • If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will keep ticking up.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • There’s enough cash on hand for Rhaenyra to administer the Seven Kingdoms for a fortnight, and no one remaining from the old regime — not Alicent, not Orwyle — knows where Lannister hid the rest of the ingots.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of cash
Verb
  • An agitator is a post in the machine’s center that twists so the clothes can rub against each other, while impellers have a cone or disc on the bottom of the drum that spins.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2026
  • Thyme When their essential oils are released and rubbed onto the skin, thyme plants, including creeping thyme, can help keep mosquitoes away.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 5 July 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • Her Eras Tour, the really beautiful white gown with her lyrics that were scribbled across the dress that was custom Vivienne.
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
Definition of scribble
Noun
  • Prairie grasses and bonnet strings whip in the wind as the creak of wagon wheels carries across the rippling grassland.
    — Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 22 June 2026
  • Iwerks worked with Bonnie Wild, a sound mixer whose credits include multiple Marvel and Star Wars projects, to piece together all of the sound from scratch — every creak of metal, every footstep and hammer, and every tractor driving across concrete.
    — Matthew Jacobs, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026
Definition of creak
Noun
  • Well, not bad in terms of trying to showcase how much money Europe is spending on its own defense, with a raft of billion-dollar deals announced with some of the world's largest military contractors.
    — Steve Sedgwick,Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 8 July 2026
  • What begins as a history play transforms into a sharp-eyed satire about the cost of assimilation in a society where money, power and white privilege remain stubbornly intertwined.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of money
Verb
  • Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and wrote the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Long also wrote over the clip, which showed the family of three sitting by the water and opening a bottle of champagne.
    — Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of write
Noun
  • That’s not to mention an upcoming summer of local and national festivities that promises fireworks, parades, bands, speeches, prizes, and commemorative everything, from postage stamps and coins to musical compositions.
    — Brenda Wineapple, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026
  • Now, the new Heritage Coin collection takes the original coin watch to all new heights – but exclusive ones.
    — Roberta Naas, Forbes.com, 4 July 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 10 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of scratch for Spanish Speakers

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