scoured

American  

[skou^uhrd, skou-erd] / skaʊərd, ˈskaʊ ərd /

adjective

1. cleansed or polished by hard rubbing, as with a rough or abrasive material.

   American society, through advertising, associates the scent of lemon with a freshly scoured kitchen.

2. cleared or dug out, as by the force of water, glaciers, etc..

   Muskeget Channel, located between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, is a deeply scoured channel with strong tidal currents.

3. (of cotton, wool, etc.) cleaned or made free of impurities, debris, etc., by or as if by washing.

   When dried, the scoured wool is usually carded and combed before the process of spinning.

4. cleared or made free of anything undesirable; cleansed.

   It is from a scoured soul and a sober heart that prayer is engaged.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of scour.

Etymology

Origin of scoured

scour ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

He scoured the S&P 1500 Index for stocks at the higher end of sensitivity to economic data and that are at the lower end of debt cost sensitivity.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

They had lain undiscovered beneath sand dunes but were exposed when they were scoured away by strong winds and high tides.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

"We scoured the scientific literature to find examples of pathogens infecting T cells. We found very few examples," said Harris, part of UVA's Department of Neuroscience.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2026

Meanwhile, investigators on Wednesday scoured along roadways in the foothills north of Tucson for any evidence that could help them crack the case.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

An hour later, I’ve scoured every website I can find, looking for a Willem Bloem or a Willem Jansen who’s still alive.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler