SCUFF Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

scuff 1 of 2

verb

ˈskəf

Definition of scuff

as in to scratch

to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface scuffed up her shoes by rubbing her feet under the rung of the chair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to shuffle

to move heavily or clumsily the miners scuffed past in heavy boots

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scuff

2 of 2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of scuff

Verb

Before Mbappe scored his penalty, Gustavo Velazquez, the Paraguayan defender, scuffed the penalty spot, another underhanded attempt to disturb the tournament favourites. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026 Defender Gustavo Velázquez was even busy trying to scuff up the penalty spot. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Noun

At the end of the day those new black sneakers had a white scuff mark that wouldn’t come off and the white part near the sole was less white. — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 Yet, every sidewalk, shopping cart, and curb seems determined to leave behind a dark scuff mark. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for scuff

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuff

Verb

Its uniquely wide view will also help scientists decode the intricacies of dark matter and dark energy while perhaps clearing up some contradictions about our universe that scientists have been scratching their heads over for decades.

— Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Culturally, college football scratches the human itch for tribalism, which America’s ethos of individualism fortunately discourages.

— George F. Will, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of scratch

Verb

For nearly a year and a half, he was shuffled around detention centers in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana and Florida, until arriving in the Alexandria International Airport in mid-August.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
The Yankees continued to shuffle their bullpen on Monday, claiming John Schreiber.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of shuffle

Noun

Dillon put together another great week of work, falling forward, finding creaks of daylight in the gaps created by a less-than-ideal second-team offensive line.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
The durable metal is also rust-resistant, and reviews say that despite its metal frame, creaks and squeaks are minimal.

— Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026

Definition of creak

Verb

Together, the family scraped together $60,000 from savings and a Small Business Administration loan and opened Panda Inn in Pasadena, California, in 1973.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Burger King has 286 locations in Ohio, according to the data-scraping website ScrapeHero.

— Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of scrape

Verb

Joined by his crew, Shakur stomps him out before the stunned gamblers and boxing fans.

— Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
The need for data Inside the headquarters of UBTech Robotics, one of China’s biggest humanoid robot firms, a silver-and-black mannequin picks up a box, stomps across the floor, and mechanically places the box on a shelf.

— Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of stomp

Noun

With her retro-soul rasp and ’60s style aesthetic, the English singer-songwriter, 20, has quickly become one of the biggest breakthrough acts of the year.

— Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
LaBelle, 82, gave an R&B rendition of the anthem, rife with her gospel rasp, ending with a belting high note to stadium cheers.

— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Definition of rasp

Verb

Most critics of judicial supremacy stumble over the fact that a strong Court sometimes benefits their side.

— Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Analysis from Zeki Data shows that where OpenAI and Anthropic are making gains in the AI talent market, Google DeepMind (and to some extent Meta) are stumbling.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of stumble

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Style

“Scuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuff. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of scuff

verb

noun

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