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

See Examples For:

scuff scuffs scuffed scuffing

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

To that end, these cargos are as intentional and well-lived as a perfectly executed skate trick: they’re hand-dyed, but also arrive bearing natural bleach, oil and scuff marks.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

Moments later, the executive—herself a shakedown passenger—dipped a napkin into a glass of spring water and cleaned a scuff mark off a menu.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 23, 2025

The motion asserted that “there was no debris found, there were no skid marks, scuff marks, or gouge marks, and no evidence which could support the preparation of a diagram.”

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

The corner is scrambled away to Ryan Giggs, who scuffs a shot goalward and a delirious Sheringham sweeps in, scouting over his shoulder to check the offside while wheeling away celebrating wildly.

From BBC ● May 28, 2026

If you have ever used a "magic eraser" sponge to scrub away scuffs on white shoes or crayon marks on a wall, you have seen how powerful these cleaners can be.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 18, 2026

Ask the seller for more pictures of interior scuffs, door dings and scratches.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 17, 2024

This is for an inspection condition report, she explains, to record even the tiniest scuffs, scratches or any other flaws, a process undertaken when the cars arrive and when they leave the museum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2023

A light dress, silk stockings, shoes without scuffs, her tube of lipstick.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys

The bottles had the correct serial numbers but the labels were slightly scuffed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

Another Toure cross enabled the hosts to seal victory just after the break, as Union's Diogo Leite scuffed the ball into his own net with Kramaric lurking.

From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026

The MetroCard, a scuffed yellow rectangle that lived in wallets, coat pockets and the bottoms of tote bags for more than three decades, is officially reaching the end of the line.

From Salon ● Dec. 28, 2025

His second-half spot kick was the ideal chance to end that but the scuffed strike lacked confidence and allowed Skorupski to save with his legs.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2025

Kaisa’s dark brown boots were comfortably worn and scuffed, the leather lined and aged.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

Pile on enough and you flirt with the risk of scuffing the roof of your mouth, which feels, to me, like an essential part of the experience.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2025

Lukens and tumbled, scuffing elbows and knees, and snapping the aluminum shaft of one of his walking sticks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2025

He readies his crease before settling into it for the first period — scuffing up some snow with his skates.

From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023

"I don't want my kids to have to worry about scuffing their knees or playing in puddles," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2022

Ignatius limped around Mr. Clyde to illustrate, his desert boots scuffing along the oily cement.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole