scuff

American  

[skuhf] / skʌf /

verb (used with object)

scuffs, present (3rd person singular) scuffed, past participle, past scuffing present participle

1. to scrape (something) with one's foot or feet.

2. to rub or scrape (one's foot or feet) over something.

3. to mar by scraping or hard use, as shoes or furniture.

4. Chiefly Scot.

   1. to brush against, as in passing.

   2. to brush off; wipe off.

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verb (used without object)

scuffs, present (3rd person singular) scuffed, past participle, past scuffing present participle

1. to walk without raising the feet from the ground; shuffle.

2. to scrape or rub one's foot back and forth over something.

3. to be or become marred or scratched by scraping or wear.

4. (of machine parts, as gear teeth) to creep from pressure and friction so that ridges appear transversely to the direction of wear.

noun

scuffs plural

1. the act or sound of scuffing.

2. a flat-heeled slipper with a full-length sole and an upper part covering only the front of the foot.

3. a marred or scratched place on an item, as from scraping or wear.

scuff British  

/ skʌf /

verb

1. to scrape or drag (the feet) while walking

2. to rub or scratch (a surface) or (of a surface) to become rubbed or scratched

3. (tr) to poke at (something) with the foot

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noun

1. the act or sound of scuffing

2. a rubbed place caused by scuffing

3. a backless slipper

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scuffs
  plural

Participles

• scuffing
  present
• scuffed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• scuff
  simple
• scuffs
  simple
• have scuffed
  perfect
• has scuffed
  perfect
• am scuffing
  progressive
• are scuffing
  progressive
• is scuffing
  progressive
• have been scuffing
  perfect progressive
• has been scuffing
  perfect progressive

Past

• scuffed
  simple
• had scuffed
  perfect
• was scuffing
  progressive
• were scuffing
  progressive
• had been scuffing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will scuff
  simple
• will have scuffed
  perfect
• will be scuffing
  progressive
• will have been scuffing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of scuff

First recorded in 1585–95, scuff is from the Middle Low German word schūven to shove

Explanation

When you scuff something, you scrape it in a way that leaves a mark. You might walk very carefully down the street in your new red cowboy boots, being careful not to scuff the toes. You can scuff a floor by moving heavy furniture, or scuff your new leather backpack by dragging it on the sidewalk. It's easy to scuff new shoes or to scuff your dad's car interior when you try to cram your bike into its hatchback. Scuff also means to drag your feet, the way a reluctant child might do on her way into the dentist's office. The word scuff is Scottish, possibly from a Scandinavian root.

Example Sentences

Deschamps knew that on the off-chance France was awarded a penalty kick, then Paraguayan players would immediately try to scuff up the spot, making it harder to take a clean shot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

It was hardly his best international goal - a scuff off his instep from Patrick Berg's pull-back that Ivorian keeper Yaya Fofana nearly grabbed off the line - but it is his most important.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

Beyond a couple of scuff marks and some debris jammed into the treads, our sojourn had left the shoes looking much as they had when I’d first taken them off the shelf.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

During a walk-through, Raiders guard Gene Upshaw used his cleats to scuff the Rozelle signature on one of those balls.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2025

I scuff downstairs and into a smaller room with round tables and shorter bookshelves.

From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome