notch

American  

[noch] / nɒtʃ /

noun

notches plural

1. an angular or V -shaped cut, indentation, or slit in an object, surface, or edge.

2. a cut or nick made in a stick or other object for record, as in keeping a tally.

3. New England and Upstate New York. a deep, narrow opening or pass between mountains; gap; defile.

4. Informal. a step, degree, or grade.

   This camera is a notch better than the other.

5. Metallurgy. a taphole in a blast furnace.

   iron notch; cinder notch.

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verb (used with object)

notches, present (3rd person singular) notched, past participle, past notching present participle

1. to cut or make a notch in.

2. to record by notches.

   He notched each kill on the stick.

3. to score, as in a game.

   He notched another win.

idioms

1. notch up / down, to move up or down or increase or decrease by notches or degrees.

   The temperature has notched up another degree.

notch British  

/ nɒtʃ /

noun

1. a V-shaped cut or indentation; nick

2. a cut or nick made in a tally stick or similar object

3. a narrow pass or gorge

4. informal a step or level (esp in the phrase a notch above )

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verb

1. to cut or make a notch in

2. to record with or as if with a notch

3. informal (usually foll by up) to score or achieve

   the team notched up its fourth win

notch More Idioms  

1. see take down a notch.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• notchy
  adjective
• unnotched
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• notches
  plural

Participles

• notching
  present
• notched
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• notch
  simple
• notches
  simple
• have notched
  perfect
• has notched
  perfect
• am notching
  progressive
• are notching
  progressive
• is notching
  progressive
• have been notching
  perfect progressive
• has been notching
  perfect progressive

Past

• notched
  simple
• had notched
  perfect
• was notching
  progressive
• were notching
  progressive
• had been notching
  perfect progressive

Future

• will notch
  simple
• will have notched
  perfect
• will be notching
  progressive
• will have been notching
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of notch

1570–80; a notch (by false division) for an *otch < Old French oche notch

Explanation

A notch is a small cut or nick in something. People make notches to keep track of things. If you've even seen a little U-shaped or V-shaped cut in something, you've seen a notch. In prison, criminals will make notches on the wall to keep track of how long they've been there. If you're stranded on a desert island, you might make notches on a tree. When you make a notch, you're notching. A notch is also part of a mountain range that is lower than the peaks around it — also called a mountain pass.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

notch notches notched notching

Preparing a live lobster might sound intimidating, but it’s a lot easier than you think and will truly take your summer hosting up a notch.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

I’ve liked her in everything but her anachronistic appeal is especially good in movies like “Gail Daughtry” that crank reality up a notch so everything moves fast and silly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

With the ball bouncing near Egypt’s goal, Messi lashed it home to notch his eighth goal of the World Cup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

You’re very smart to look at your contribution rate now, 12 years before you intend to retire, and to think about kicking it up a notch.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

Secure the notch of an arrow to the string.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

The stock at 18 times forward earnings, down from a 2026 peak of 22 times, a few notches below the S&P 500 and below Home Depot’s just over 21 times.

From Barron's ● May 8, 2026

Meanwhile, Milwaukee, Baltimore and Austin, Texas—all in last year’s top five—fell several notches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

Next stop, Crossroads School, where the level of musicianship rose several notches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

The researchers discerned patterns of meaning in lines, notches, dots, and crosses on objects like mammoth tusks as old as 45,000 years in caves in Germany.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

Along its brink there now stretched a wide tumbled flat of scored and weathered rock, cut every now and again by trench-like gullies that sloped steeply down to deep notches in the cliff-face.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Early reviews of the film have been mixed, and “Moana” has so far notched a 37% rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

This year, the song that made her a star notched up a billion streams on Spotify.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

The selloff comes after the SOX index notched its best quarter on record, gaining nearly 90% in the three months that ended June 30.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

After the U.S. notched two victories in the group stage for the first time since 1930, Pochettino already has fans dreaming of a deep run.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

It shows the river rolling lazily between meadowy fields dotted with trees and farms, against a distant backdrop of sere hills, notched with a V where the river passes through.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

After opening with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde, the reigning European champions have scored eight goals in the past three games, with Mikel Oyarzabal notching a pair of braces.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Micron shares were falling Friday after notching a 15% gain over the last five trading days.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

More than two years ago, an alliance of ethnic and rebel groups made sweeping gains throughout the country, notching up a string of victories against the junta.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

The stock then went vertical, notching eight straight weeks of gains before forming a subsequent base in November.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

Images of warriors notching their bows and letting their arrows fly.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

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