1
as in metallic
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in scraping
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface
scratched his arm on a branch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in scribbling
to write or draw hastily or carelessly
scratched a quick doodle in the margins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scratching
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
And he is viewed as a prospect who is just scratching the surface.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Since floors like vinyl are prone to scratching, Stein always recommends adding furniture protectors to the bottom of your furniture.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
The result, a convoluted polynomial in the variables x and y, has left other researchers scratching their heads.
—Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Instead of scratching around for opportunities in ostensibly rich countries, those financiers should start targeting the nations that Wall Street had historically ignored.
—Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
But as these reader faves suggest, that's still just scratching the surface.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026
Pulido told the crowd, before scratching his signature onto the brim and handing it to Jimena, who pumped it in the air and shrieked with joy.
—Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
People will no longer fuss over confusing hirings and firings or head-scratching trades and free-agent signings of the past.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Unlike nylon brushes, silicone ones carry no risk of scratching or removing paint from your bottle.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
And he is viewed as a prospect who is just scratching the surface.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Since floors like vinyl are prone to scratching, Stein always recommends adding furniture protectors to the bottom of your furniture.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
The result, a convoluted polynomial in the variables x and y, has left other researchers scratching their heads.
—Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Instead of scratching around for opportunities in ostensibly rich countries, those financiers should start targeting the nations that Wall Street had historically ignored.
—Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
But as these reader faves suggest, that's still just scratching the surface.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026
Pulido told the crowd, before scratching his signature onto the brim and handing it to Jimena, who pumped it in the air and shrieked with joy.
—Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
People will no longer fuss over confusing hirings and firings or head-scratching trades and free-agent signings of the past.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scratching
Adjective
-
Elsewhere, delicate capiz shells have been hand-cut and hand-painted to create wall coverings in shimmering shades of emerald green and metallic grey, and artworks by local creatives such as Yasser Al Mulla and Azzam Al Mannai adorn walls.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This black-and-white version is especially versatile, while the white-and-metallic option feels perfect for spring.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The plane hitting the water is destructive enough without the help of a jagged coral reef (improbably far from any coastline) slicing through the aircraft’s undercarriage.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Known for their jagged peaks, glacial lakes, and vast icefields, the Canadian Rockies are among the world’s most stunning mountain ranges, forming a natural divide between Alberta and British Columbia.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Smart skidded across the floor for a loose ball and was fouled, a jaw-scraping effort that forced him to check his teeth on his way up from the hardwood.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Cover and process until combined, scraping sides as needed.—
Maddy Bendgen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Harvest quinoa by hitting the flower stalks against a hard surface or rubbing them between your hands to separate the seeds from the flower parts or chaff.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Apr. 2026
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An employee washed hands for less than 10 seconds at the sushi bar, and the inspector wants to see 10-15 seconds of your hands rubbing each other.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As anachronisms constantly threaten to puncture the illusion, the cast stays wry, nimble and self-conscious in order to locate plot points and jokes that reinforce the golden-age radio setting, scribbling notes and introducing characters that propel them through ludicrous narrative arcs.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
23 Apr. 2026
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The trilogy concluded on April 1 with Fagen scribbling an inscrutable equation on the car window until, again, taking a break to consult an invisible timepiece on his wrist.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On shrill winter nights, Moscow’s power is conspicuous, its Orthodox cathedrals and Stalinist high-rises illuminated, though the view falls dim in the autumn and spring, shrouded in sheets of greige.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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The chaos is still an acceptable price to pay for Birney’s expertly offputting performance, a shrill mania that gets increasingly comic over time.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The act of scrawling them upon the page is tangible and pleasing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Nov. 2025
-
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
-
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, especially in local politics.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The goal is clean skin, not squeaky skin.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scratching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scratching. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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