When you scratch something, it means you make a mark on its surface with something sharp. Imagine a cat making marks on a scratching post with its claws; that's an example of scratching.
It can also mean to remove something by drawing a line through it, like when you scratch a name off a list. So, if your name is on a list but you can't go, someone might scratch your name out.
Another way to use scratch is when you have an itch and you rub your skin with your nails to stop it. For example, if a mosquito bites you, you might want to scratch the itch.
Therefore, scratch means to mark a surface, remove something from a list, or rub an itch with your nails.
scratch in 30 Sekunden
- To make a mark on a surface with something sharp.
- To cancel something by drawing a line through it.
- Often refers to an unwanted or accidental mark.
§ Similar words and when to use 'scratch' vs. alternatives
The verb 'scratch' has a few different meanings, and understanding its nuances compared to similar words is key to using it correctly. Let's explore some of these and when you might choose 'scratch' over another option.
- To make a mark with something sharp
- When referring to superficial damage or marks made by a sharp object, 'scratch' is often the most appropriate word. It implies a relatively minor, often linear mark.
Be careful not to scratch the new car with your keys.
Scrape: While similar, 'scrape' often suggests a broader, more abrasive action that might remove a layer of something, or a more extensive area of damage. It can also imply a sound. You might 'scrape your knee' (removing skin) or 'scrape a pan' (removing food residue).
The child fell and scraped their knee on the pavement.
Gash: This implies a deeper, more severe cut or wound, typically longer and wider than a scratch.
He received a deep gash on his arm from the broken glass.
Graze: To graze means to touch or rub lightly against something, often causing a slight wound or mark. It implies a very superficial contact.
The bullet only grazed his shoulder.
- To cancel or remove
- When you draw a line through something to cancel it, 'scratch' is very common, especially in informal contexts. It suggests a clear, often quick, act of removal from a list or record.
Please scratch my name off the attendance list; I won't be able to make it.
Cross out: This is a very direct synonym and can be used interchangeably with 'scratch out' (often with 'out' in this context) when referring to canceling text or an item on a list. 'Cross out' might be slightly more formal or direct.
She had to cross out several errors in her essay.
Delete: This word is typically used for removing something from a digital record or a more formal document, where the removal is often complete and irreversible (or at least intended to be so).
Make sure to delete the old files to free up space.
Cancel: This is a broader term meaning to annul or stop something. While 'scratch' can be a way of cancelling an item on a list, 'cancel' applies to events, subscriptions, plans, etc.
We had to cancel our reservation due to unforeseen circumstances.
Beispiele nach Niveau
The cat likes to scratch the furniture, so we bought a scratching post for her.
La gata le gusta arañar los muebles, así que le compramos un rascador.
Here, 'scratch' is used in its most common sense, referring to a physical action.
I accidentally scratched my new car door with my key.
Accidentalmente rayé la puerta de mi coche nuevo con mi llave.
This sentence shows 'scratch' meaning to make an unwanted mark.
He had to scratch his name off the list because he couldn't come to the meeting.
Tuvo que tachar su nombre de la lista porque no podía venir a la reunión.
This illustrates the second meaning of 'scratch' – to remove something by drawing a line through it.
If you have an itch, try not to scratch it too much, or you might make it worse.
Si tienes picazón, intenta no rascarte demasiado, o podrías empeorarlo.
'Scratch' here refers to relieving an itch.
The children were told not to scratch their names into the school desks.
Se les dijo a los niños que no grabaran sus nombres en los pupitres de la escuela.
This implies a more permanent marking with 'scratch'.
I had to scratch out a few words from my essay and rewrite them.
Tuve que tachar algunas palabras de mi ensayo y reescribirlas.
'Scratch out' is a phrasal verb meaning to cross something out completely.
The dog was scratching at the door, wanting to go outside.
El perro estaba arañando la puerta, queriendo salir.
This shows 'scratching at' as an action to get attention or open something.
Don't scratch your head if you don't know the answer, just say 'I don't know'.
No te rasques la cabeza si no sabes la respuesta, solo di 'No lo sé'.
'Scratch one's head' is an idiom meaning to think hard or be puzzled.
He accidentally scratched the polished surface of the antique table with his watch, leaving a noticeable blemish.
He accidentally damaged the table's surface.
Past simple tense of 'scratch'.
The cat enjoyed scratching its claws on the old armchair, much to its owner's dismay.
The cat liked sharpening its claws on the armchair.
Present participle 'scratching' used after 'enjoyed'.
If your name is on the list, please scratch it out once you've confirmed your attendance.
Cross out your name on the list.
Phrasal verb 'scratch out' meaning to delete.
She had to scratch her head, trying to remember where she had left her keys.
She pondered deeply, trying to recall.
Idiomatic expression 'scratch one's head' meaning to think hard.
The artist used a sharp tool to scratch intricate patterns into the clay before firing it.
The artist carved detailed designs into the clay.
Infinitive 'to scratch' used to describe purpose.
Due to a last-minute injury, the star player had to scratch from the championship game.
The star player had to withdraw from the game.
Verb 'scratch' meaning to withdraw or cancel one's participation.
I managed to scratch together enough money to buy the concert tickets, but it was a tight squeeze.
I barely gathered enough money.
Phrasal verb 'scratch together' meaning to collect with difficulty.
He would often scratch notes in the margins of his books as he read, highlighting key passages.
He would often write notes quickly in the margins.
Verb 'scratch' meaning to write quickly or carelessly.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
from scratch
up to scratch
scratch that
scratch the idea
scratch the plan
scratch the paint
scratch the door
scratch the table
scratch the car
scratch the wall
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"scratch the surface"
To deal with only a small part of a subject or problem
We've only scratched the surface of this complex issue in our discussion today.
neutral"start from scratch"
To start from the very beginning, without any previous preparation or advantages
After the fire, they had to rebuild their business and start from scratch.
neutral"scratch an itch"
To satisfy a desire or need, often a minor one
I bought a new book to scratch my intellectual itch.
informal"scratch someone's back"
To help someone in the hope that they will help you in return; to do a favor for someone
I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine – let's help each other out.
informal"not to scratch"
To be insufficient or inadequate for a particular purpose
His apologies didn't scratch; I'm still very upset.
informal"scratch a living"
To earn just enough money to live, often with difficulty
He's been scratching a living as a freelance artist for years.
neutral"scratch one's head"
To think hard about something confusing or difficult
We all scratched our heads, trying to figure out the complex puzzle.
neutral"scratch paper"
Paper used for making notes or rough calculations
I need some scratch paper to work out these sums.
neutral"scratch card"
A card with a concealed area that must be rubbed off to reveal if a prize has been won
She won a small amount of money on a scratch card.
neutral"scratch the record/tape"
To abruptly stop or change the subject of a conversation or activity, often because something awkward or unexpected has happened (derived from the sound of a record player scratching)
And then, scratch the record, he suddenly announced he was moving to another country.
informalIm Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
When I accidentally scratched my new car, I was so upset. It was just a small mark, but it bothered me.
- accidentally scratched
- small mark
- bothered me
My cat loves to scratch the furniture, no matter how many scratching posts I buy her.
- loves to scratch
- scratching posts
The old record player would sometimes scratch the vinyl, causing a skipping sound.
- scratch the vinyl
- skipping sound
I had to scratch out a few names from the guest list because they couldn't make it to the party.
- scratch out names
- guest list
He had an itch on his back that he couldn't reach, so he asked his friend to scratch it for him.
- itch on his back
- asked his friend to scratch it
Gesprächseinstiege
"Have you ever accidentally scratched something valuable? What was it and how did you feel?"
"What are some common things that people or animals scratch?"
"Can you think of a time when you had to 'scratch' something off a list or out of a plan?"
"What are some ways to prevent things from getting scratched?"
"Do you have any pets that like to scratch things? How do you deal with it?"
Tagebuch-Impulse
Describe a time you scratched something and how you fixed it, or if you couldn't fix it, how you felt.
Write about the different reasons why animals might scratch things. Consider both pets and wild animals.
Reflect on the phrase 'scratching the surface' and what it means to you in different contexts (e.g., learning, relationships).
Imagine you are a detective investigating a crime scene where the only clue is a scratch mark. Describe what you observe and what it tells you.
Write a short story about a character who has a peculiar habit of scratching something when they are nervous or thinking deeply.
Teste dich selbst 42 Fragen
This sentence describes a cat making marks on a sofa.
This sentence means to remove a name from a list by drawing a line through it.
This sentence describes the action of relieving an itch by scratching.
Please don't ___ the car with your keys.
To 'scratch' means to make a mark on a surface with something sharp. The keys are sharp and can make marks on the car.
My cat likes to ___ the furniture.
Cats often 'scratch' furniture to sharpen their claws.
Can you ___ my back? It's really itchy.
When something is itchy, you 'scratch' it to relieve the itch.
He had to ___ his name off the list because he couldn't come.
To 'scratch off' a name means to cross it out, often to cancel it from a list.
Be careful not to ___ the glass with that knife.
A knife is sharp and can easily 'scratch' glass, leaving marks.
The dog started to ___ at the door to be let in.
Dogs often 'scratch' at doors with their paws when they want to come in.
My cat likes to ___ the furniture with her claws.
To 'scratch' means to make marks with something sharp, like a cat's claws.
I need to ___ this item off my shopping list because I already bought it.
To 'scratch' something off a list means to cancel it by drawing a line through it.
Be careful not to ___ the new table with your keys.
To 'scratch' means to make a mark on a surface with something sharp.
If you scratch your arm, it means you drew a picture on it.
To scratch your arm usually means to make a mark on it, often with your fingernails, not to draw a picture.
You can scratch a word off a paper if you want to remove it.
To 'scratch' a word off means to draw a line through it to cancel or remove it.
A smooth, new car usually has many scratches on it.
A new car should be smooth and without scratches. Scratches are marks or damage.
Imagine you have a new puppy. What are some things it might scratch in your house? Write a short sentence about it.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
My new puppy likes to scratch the carpet with its paws.
You made a mistake on your shopping list. Write a sentence explaining how you would remove the item from the list using the word 'scratch'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
I will scratch out the milk on my shopping list because I already have some.
Describe something you own that has a scratch on it. What caused the scratch?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
My phone screen has a small scratch because I dropped it on the ground.
What does the cat do to the furniture?
Read this passage:
My cat loves to play. Sometimes, she uses her claws to scratch the furniture. My mom tells her to stop, but the cat just keeps scratching. It makes marks on the sofa.
What does the cat do to the furniture?
The passage clearly states, 'Sometimes, she uses her claws to scratch the furniture.'
The passage clearly states, 'Sometimes, she uses her claws to scratch the furniture.'
What does the person need to do with one of the 'walk the dog' items?
Read this passage:
I made a list of things to do today. First, I need to buy groceries. Then, I need to call my friend. Oh, I wrote 'walk the dog' twice. I should scratch out one of them.
What does the person need to do with one of the 'walk the dog' items?
The passage says, 'I should scratch out one of them' because 'I wrote 'walk the dog' twice.'
The passage says, 'I should scratch out one of them' because 'I wrote 'walk the dog' twice.'
How did the car get a scratch?
Read this passage:
My car is new, but it has a small scratch on the door. I think a tree branch made the mark when I was driving. It's not a big problem, but I can see it clearly.
How did the car get a scratch?
The passage states, 'I think a tree branch made the mark when I was driving.'
The passage states, 'I think a tree branch made the mark when I was driving.'
This sentence asks if the user's cat scratched the sofa. The word 'scratch' is used in the context of making marks with claws.
This sentence uses 'scratch' to mean to rub one's skin with fingernails to relieve an itch.
Here, 'scratch' means to cross out a name from a list.
The detective tried to _______ an alibi, but his story had too many inconsistencies.
'Scratch together' means to collect or gather something with difficulty or from various sources, which fits the context of creating an alibi.
Despite their best efforts, the scientists had to _______ the entire experiment due to a critical flaw in the initial design.
'Scratch out' implies canceling or abandoning something, often due to an error or problem, which aligns with the need to cancel an experiment.
The old cat would often _______ at the door when it wanted to be let in, leaving visible claw marks.
'Scratch at' describes the action of repeatedly making small marks or sounds on a surface, typically with claws or nails, which is what a cat would do.
If you 'scratch the surface' of a problem, you are delving deeply into its root causes and intricacies.
To 'scratch the surface' means to deal with only a very small part of a problem or subject, without getting into its deeper or more complicated aspects. Therefore, the statement is false.
When someone says they 'scratched a living' from something, it means they earned a comfortable and prosperous income from it.
To 'scratch a living' means to earn just enough money to live, often with difficulty and by doing hard or unpleasant work. It implies a struggle, not prosperity. Therefore, the statement is false.
To 'scratch an itch' literally means to relieve an irritating sensation on the skin, and metaphorically means to satisfy a desire or need.
The phrase 'scratch an itch' has both a literal meaning of relieving physical irritation and a metaphorical meaning of satisfying a craving or need. Therefore, the statement is true.
Listen for the nuanced meaning of 'scratch' in a critical context.
Consider 'scratch' as an act of removal or cancellation in an artistic process.
Pay attention to 'scratch out' implying effort and difficulty in achieving an outcome.
Read this aloud:
After years of meticulous planning, the project was ultimately scratched due to unforeseen financial constraints.
Focus: scratched
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Read this aloud:
The ancient manuscript bore the faint scratches of a long-lost language, intriguing historians for centuries.
Focus: scratches
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Read this aloud:
It took an immense effort to scratch together enough resources to launch the ambitious startup.
Focus: scratch together
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/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Scratch means to make a mark with something sharp or to cancel something by drawing a line through it.
- To make a mark on a surface with something sharp.
- To cancel something by drawing a line through it.
- Often refers to an unwanted or accidental mark.
