scratch
verb (used with object)
to break, mar, or mark the surface of by rubbing, scraping, or tearing with something sharp or rough.
were scratching
-
past progressiveof scratch.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
But amid all the turmoil, veteran news executives inside and outside the companies involved were scratching their heads over exactly how an editorial board would operate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Two of them work at Goldman Sachs, where some bankers were scratching their heads on Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
When he pitched the book, which ends long before his successes with Winehouse on Back To Black and Bruno Mars on Uptown Funk, "people were scratching their heads", Ronson admits.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025
When the disease first broke out in the Caribbean, “we were scratching our heads,” says Ian Hewson, an oceanographer at Cornell University who has studied diseases in sea stars and other marine animals.
From Science Magazine ● May 28, 2024
The rosebushes were scratching intently at the windows, but I directed his focus to the sheet of paper waiting there for him, and compelled him to pick up the pen.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
