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

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

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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
At Paris Baguette, the workday starts at 2 a.m. to make everything from scratch, according to Cheung. Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025 Order your pizza and, within five minutes, a robot would craft your pie from scratch, no human hands required. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
Another thing worth noting is that a lot of people complain about the rings getting scratched and showing signs of wear pretty quickly. Kristine Thomason, Vogue, 10 July 2025 The project is scratched, and Mayor Norris Poulson promises that no new ones will be approved. Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for scratch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratch
Noun
  • One person suffered a broken ankle while seven others were transported to a hospital with cuts and scrapes.
    EW.com, EW.com, 18 July 2025
  • One person suffered a broken ankle, seven people were transported to the hospital with cuts and scrapes, and one person declined transport.
    Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • And lately, many well-off consumers who might qualify for the tax break have trended more toward paying cash, Smoke said.
    Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 21 July 2025
  • Let the cash accumulate in your account or reinvest it in a short-term Treasury fund.
    Catherine Brock, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Cats can rub against concrete to mark their territory and feel more secure because the scent lingers on the material longer than on smoother surfaces.
    Kelli Bender, People.com, 23 July 2025
  • Again, once the Field School staff restrained the shark, the team of amateurs got to work quickly and efficiently, with the only mishap being a person who rubbed their fingers the wrong way against the shark skin and got an abrasion that drew a bit of blood.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Movies and television shows often portray mathematicians scribbling on chalkboards in seclusion, but that picture is often far from accurate.
    Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 18 July 2025
  • His path changed in a South Korean high school, where a teacher noticed him scribbling lyrics during class.
    Yoonjung Seo, CNN Money, 17 July 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 is real money behind each of these stocks both from the company, investors and short sellers.
    Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025
  • The family is raising money on GoFundMe to pay for legal fees.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • In June, several Republican U.S. lawmakers from Arizona and Texas who usually side with Trump's Make American Great Again policies wrote a letter to the Commerce Secretary imploring the Trump administration not to end the Tomato Suspension Agreement.
    Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025
  • Punch It Films is behind the movie written and directed by Nika Agiashvili (Daughter Of The Wolf).
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • For centuries, and in all kinds of weather, the British have licked ice creams, strolled piers and dropped coins in arcade games at the seaside.
    Suyin Haynes, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
  • In the fall of 2022, U.S. spies said the chances of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine were 50% − a coin flip.
    Davis Winkie, USA Today, 20 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratch. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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