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

Related Words

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
Before Mbappe scored his penalty, Gustavo Velazquez, the Paraguayan defender, scuffed the penalty spot, another underhanded attempt to disturb the tournament favourites. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026 Defender Gustavo Velázquez was even busy trying to scuff up the penalty spot. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Noun
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 Yet, every sidewalk, shopping cart, and curb seems determined to leave behind a dark scuff mark. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 9 July 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
  • Sunderland, of course, spent heavily last season after coming up from the Championship, and there is a broad consensus that promoted teams need to do so to quickly bring their squads up to scratch.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The upstairs neighbors had two mastiffs who were left home all day and who barked incessantly and scratched at the floor of their kennel.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • For nearly a year and a half, he was shuffled around detention centers in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana and Florida, until arriving in the Alexandria International Airport in mid-August.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Yankees continued to shuffle their bullpen on Monday, claiming John Schreiber.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Noun
  • Dillon put together another great week of work, falling forward, finding creaks of daylight in the gaps created by a less-than-ideal second-team offensive line.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The durable metal is also rust-resistant, and reviews say that despite its metal frame, creaks and squeaks are minimal.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026
Definition of creak
Verb
  • The system should be programmed to actively penalize source monopolies, forcing the engine to scrape a healthy mix of technical journalism, independent community forums (like Reddit threads), and video transcripts.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The failure can expose metal from the wheel or other vehicle components, which can scrape against pavement and create sparks or intense heat.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrape
Verb
  • Joined by his crew, Shakur stomps him out before the stunned gamblers and boxing fans.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The need for data Inside the headquarters of UBTech Robotics, one of China’s biggest humanoid robot firms, a silver-and-black mannequin picks up a box, stomps across the floor, and mechanically places the box on a shelf.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of stomp
Noun
  • With her retro-soul rasp and ’60s style aesthetic, the English singer-songwriter, 20, has quickly become one of the biggest breakthrough acts of the year.
    — Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • LaBelle, 82, gave an R&B rendition of the anthem, rife with her gospel rasp, ending with a belting high note to stadium cheers.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 16 July 2026
Definition of rasp
Verb
  • But since then, Nosková has solidified while Sabalenka has stumbled, and the Czech has also gotten through some tough matches to reach this one.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Byron Nelson stumbles again Normally an area power, Trophy Club Byron Nelson is off to a rocky start.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of stumble

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Cite this Entry

“Scuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuff. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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