scratch
verb (used with object)
to break, mar, or mark the surface of by rubbing, scraping, or tearing with something sharp or rough.
scratched
-
past participleof scratch.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof scratch.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
scratchverb (used with object)to break, mar, or mark the surface of by rubbing, scraping, or tearing with something sharp or rough.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before leaving, one dealer scratched out a simple message on a Post-it note left for Ford Europe President Jim Baumbick: “We are back.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
“We haven’t even scratched the surface; infrastructure is a long, long tail. It takes a long time for regulatory approval for building and then obviously deploying.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
“Wouldn’t someone bitten or scratched 3 months ago already be rabid and possibly even dead?” another visitor posted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
But on Monday, photos showed it had been damaged, external after vandals scratched it, leaving her name badly defaced.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
We didn’t dare look at Biddy and the second sister, who scratched around on the floor beside us.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
