1
2
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
Your throat might feel dry and scratchy; maybe your muscles start to feel tight muscles.
—
Katharine Gammon, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Overdosing detergent and allowing the soapy residue to become trapped along with body soil leaves fabrics stiff and scratchy.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Dry winter air can leave you with cracked, peeling skin, gritty eyes, and a scratchy throat.
—Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2026
The soft inner lining keeps the toes warm but isn’t scratchy.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scratchy
Katharine Gammon, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Overdosing detergent and allowing the soapy residue to become trapped along with body soil leaves fabrics stiff and scratchy.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Dry winter air can leave you with cracked, peeling skin, gritty eyes, and a scratchy throat.
—Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2026
The soft inner lining keeps the toes warm but isn’t scratchy.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scratchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratchy
Adjective
-
Many of Iceland’s pools are immersed in nature, combining water therapy with dramatic landscapes of jagged mountains, waterfalls, rivers, and lava fields.—
Lauren Breedlove,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Two cars teetered at the jagged edge, their noses tipped skyward, almost frozen in the instant before a plunge.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Rather than focusing on clarity with harsh actives, a key component to the glass skin trend is using gentle, non-irritating ingredients that take your skin to a healthier state.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
InStyle,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Caustic soda crystals cannot be ingested; baking soda is edible and non-irritating.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
His own voice sounds hoarse and nasty to him, the voice of a gloomy oracle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Her voice was hoarse, her schedule packed.—
Karen Brooks Harper
Austin Bureau,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some local industry professionals have suggested to Deadline that the issue of the recommendations could still prove thorny down the line, even if Tuttle’s uptake of them would be voluntary.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2026
-
What about the thorny question of whether the semi-finals should be held at Wembley?—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As Woody Harrelson detailed Harrison Ford's accomplishments from the Actors Awards stage, the famously gruff actor seemed to squirm in his seat, somehow uncomfortable with praise even at the age of 83.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
-
While not gruff or unfriendly, the serious New York restaurateur carries a distinct tone of getting down to business, even when casually chatting about how the show has changed over time.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Best known for its brilliant purple flowerhead and prickly parts, native thistle is a major source of food for pollinators.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Is someone that checked out, and that prickly a figure really about to be among the ranks of three-time Oscar-winning living legends Daniel Day-Lewis, Frances McDormand, Jack Nicholson, and Meryl Streep?—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One such pet, Lainey, a husky shepherd, was found after going missing in Arizona with the help of a neighbor's Ring camera.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The team can help plan reindeer and husky rides, reindeer farm visits, snowmobiles tours across the area’s fells and taiga forests, or Aurora-chasing tours, guided by local experts.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scratchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratchy. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
