scuff 1 of 2

verb

ˈskəf How to pronounce scuff (audio)
Definition of scuffnext
1
as in to scratch
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface scuffed up her shoes by rubbing her feet under the rung of the chair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily the miners scuffed past in heavy boots

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scuff

2 of 2

noun

as in scratch

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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 scuff
Verb
Bootleg’s production deepens the sense of mystery, cranking the reverb and scuffing the surfaces. — Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 22 July 2026 Kostyuk raised her hands and dropped to her knees after Paolini scuffed a shot on her second match point. — ABC News, 8 July 2026
Noun
Painted Walls Walls get dirty easily, from fingerprints from children’s sticky hands to scuff marks from furniture. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 24 Aug. 2026 At the end of the day those new black sneakers had a white scuff mark that wouldn’t come off and the white part near the sole was less white. — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuff
  1. scratch
  2. shuffle
  3. creak
  4. scrape
  5. stomp
  6. rasp
  7. stumble
Verb
  • Test the plant’s health by lightly scratching the woody stems—healthy tissue beneath the bark will typically look green.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The bear even takes time to exfoliate, using what appears to be a concrete barrier to scratch its back.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • Kering is starting to clean house, having already shuffled creative directors at Gucci, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta.
    — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Green tea was served by gang members shuffling around in slippers.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Noun
  • The distressed creak of nylon straps as the second coffin was lowered into the grave brought me back to the now.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Which, aurally, lies somewhere between a door creak and an ass smack.
    — Jason Sheeler, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of creak
Verb
  • Here’s a guy who scraped his dollars together, came to the club, and out of all the people there, he gets pulled on stage by Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
    — Christine Imarenezor, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Personal information gets exposed through breaches, scraped from public sources and traded in criminal marketplaces.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of scrape
Verb
  • The answer isn’t between stomping the gas pedal or leaving the car parked.
    — Bob Ackerman, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Handclaps, stomping percussion and a communal chorus create the kind of infectious energy that naturally gets people moving.
    — qygwork, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stomp
Noun
  • Use a rasp and grate a couple of tablespoons right into the raw meat mixture before mixing.
    — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The rattle of a bride’s gold earring or the rasp of straightener steam through a bride’s hair takes on a panic-inducingly eerie quality thanks to Marie-Clotilde Chery’s chilling sound design.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of rasp
Verb
  • Resendiz finished strongly, sending Mazoudier stumbling backward in the final minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.
    — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble

Browse Nearby Words

scuds
scuff
scuffed
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Cite this Entry

“Scuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuff. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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