scratching 1 of 2

present participle of scratch
1
as in scraping
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface scratched his arm on a branch

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2
as in rubbing
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 scribbling
to write or draw hastily or carelessly scratched a quick doodle in the margins

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scratching

2 of 2

adjective

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 scratching
Adjective
And that’s just scratching the surface. Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025 The Jonas Brothers’ performance at the 2025 World Series left some viewers scratching their heads. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2025 Don’t scrub with abrasive tools like steel wool or melamine sponges to avoid scratching the surface, which may require repair. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025 One meme in particular has left many scratching their heads. Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025 So even massive interdictions like this are only scratching the surface. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025 So fans were left scratching their heads when gossip site Deux Moi broke that Stickler had gone on not one, but two dates with John Mayer in NYC last week. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025 If that stretch wasn’t enough, Florida returned to another head-scratching theme — an inability to field 11 players — in the fourth quarter. Matt Baker, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025 Riley’s most head-scratching play call of the season appeared early in the fourth quarter, with rain steadily falling on Notre Dame Stadium. Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratching
Verb
  • Beat until combined, scraping bowl as needed.
    Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Earlier this week the company filed a lawsuit against a group of data-scraping companies for allegedly pilfering its content and selling it to Perplexity.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Because the surface of the cornea contains multiple tiny microabrasions from your contact rubbing against it, these can function as openings for the amoeba to infiltrate—and the longer you’re exposed to it, the further in it can burrow.
    Holly Burns, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Rinse the seeds in a colander afterward, rubbing with your fingers to detach any stubborn bits of pulp.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Simon managed to keep scribbling on his yellow legal pad but his handwriting, illegible on a good day, quickly deteriorated into nothing more than chicken scratch.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • People drift between venues, carrying tote bags, scribbling in notebooks, waiting in line for coffee or drinks.
    Javier Garcia del Moral September 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The 9th grader wore a metallic champagne mini-dress finished with a pleated train.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Roberts intended to sport a cutout peplum top and matching wide-leg pants, both with pink and metallic green designs throughout.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The morning light casts jagged shadows across the pink stone, catching the saguaro spines and illuminating them like desert saints.
    Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • According to one tale, the devil escaped from hell and formed the jagged peaks in one day’s work.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Chalamet invites his Instagram followers to meet him at Regal Times Square to watch the first 30 minutes of Marty Supreme by scrawling the message on his Instagram Story in orange.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Arriving in January, the California Post will be Murdoch’s transplant of his right-leaning tabloid the New York Post, replete with shrill headlines and randy gossip.
    Peter Bart, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
  • One option is to simply double down on the existing approach and become shriller.
    Robert G. Eccles, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The CaseSafe Carry On has an aerospace-grade shell that is more than ready to take a beating, and its SilentMove wheels ensure squeaky power walks down airport hallways become a thing of the past.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The gym floor, after six weeks of dodgeball, squeaky sneakers, and whatever unidentifiable grit kids manage to track in, finally gets its turn under the polisher.
    Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scratching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratching. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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