scratchy

adjective

ˈskra-chē How to pronounce scratchy (audio)
Definition of scratchynext
1
as in jagged
having leaves or branches which are likely to cause a scratch scratchy shrubbery that's intended to keep kids and pets off the old man's property

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in irritating
causing an unpleasant tingling sensation the wool pants are so scratchy that I can't stand to wear them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound her voice was scratchy from a cold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 scratchy The often scratchy, historically fascinating recordings are given an audio backdrop of a keyboard/percussion score performed by Shortell. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026 To wit, there’s Duke Cannon’s Best Damn Beard Oil, for scratchy facial hair. — Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 14 June 2026 Cooling, smooth, and surprisingly affordable at just $6, this one upgrades scratchy hotel bedding with a softer feel while also being gentler on hair and skin overnight. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026 Persistent headaches, scratchy throats and that foggy, fatigued feeling that never quite lifts may not be a virus or seasonal pollen. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for scratchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratchy
  1. jagged
  2. irritating
  3. hoarse
  4. thorny
  5. gruff
  6. prickly
  7. husky
Adjective
  • The slightest details, or the smallest bits of structure, are what stick out—what can feel like an amorphous ooze of nothingness suddenly snaps into place thanks to a rhythmic rattle or jagged vocal sample.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026
  • Look at the jagged lines, the geometric shapes, the neon colour schemes, the tall collars, the billowing short sleeves.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of jagged
Adjective
  • Few workplace behaviors are as small, common and irritating as the message that goes unanswered.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of irritating
Adjective
  • The other was a tearing beauty, a creature so lovely that one look at her sent young men’s blood pressure skyward and set them to uttering wild, hoarse cries and tearing telephone directories apart with the bare hands.
    — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
  • Others walked home sunburned, hoarse and still dressed in blue and orange.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026
Definition of hoarse
Adjective
  • The package depicts the usual impenetrable forest of the GAS packaging in stark, thorny monochrome.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
  • And there are still subtle signs of a shift on the thorny issues around Israel within the caucus, after the liberal organization J Street endorsed Jeffries and his leadership team for the first time this Congress.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of thorny
Adjective
  • His deep voice could command a room, and voters were drawn to his gruff populism and focus on economic inequality.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 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 gruff
Adjective
  • As Hollis’s Type A college bestie and sardonic childhood soul mate, respectively, Regina Hall and Chloë Sevigny make prickly women lovable.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 6 July 2026
  • The normally prickly and unsympathetic Harriet Oleson (Katherine MacGregor) switches gears into hero mode, rounding up the town's men to scour the countryside for the children who've become trapped.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Definition of prickly
Adjective
  • Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The extravagant, hi-NRG single showcased the breadth of Tyler’s husky grandeur, which proved a perfect fit for Giorgio Moroder.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026
Definition of husky

Browse Nearby Words

scratch pads
scratchy
scrawl
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Cite this Entry

“Scratchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratchy. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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