1
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
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2
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
the miners scuffed past in heavy boots
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scuff
Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The same method as cleaning linoleum works for buffing scratches or scuffs out of patent leather, soft white leather, sneaker midsoles, or vinyl.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
Kenzi Wilbur, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
Check your golf balls periodically for signs of damage such as cracks, deep scuffs, and chips that may interfere with their performance.
—Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scuff
Verb
The pebbled leather is durable and won’t easily scuff, while the divider zip pocket makes organizing a breeze.
—Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The same method as cleaning linoleum works for buffing scratches or scuffs out of patent leather, soft white leather, sneaker midsoles, or vinyl.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
Step 4: Use wood filler to repair scuffs and nicks
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—Kenzi Wilbur, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
Check your golf balls periodically for signs of damage such as cracks, deep scuffs, and chips that may interfere with their performance.
—Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuff
Verb
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First-timers typically make a beeline for Madrid and Barcelona, but even then, most people will only scratch the surface of these cities and their surroundings.—
Siobhan Reid,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
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But the car industry has not scratched the surface of these vehicles' potential.—
Emily Forlini,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2025
Verb
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The team then trained three seals–Nick, Luca, and Miro–to shuffle into place in front of a large screen and showed them the simulations.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 May 2025
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When one of the figures is placed at the top of a ramp, the force of gravity causes the toy to walk down to the bottom by shuffling its legs back and forth.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
23 May 2025
Noun
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There’s no music, either, to soften or ennoble proceedings, only the indifferent murmur of weather over the startling debris of human conflict, or the slow creak of a galleon on lapping waters as sailors are sent cruelly to their deaths.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
28 May 2025
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My assumption is that most rational human beings would happily stay in a warm and cozy office and simply listen to the building creak and groan under the force of the violent gusts.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside Online,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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To determine whether demodex mites are the cause of skin irritations, dermatologists can tape or lightly scrape the top layer of skin and place the sample under a microscope, Ricardo-Gonzalez said.—
Kameryn Griesser,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
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Even limited-exposure materials can be scraped, indexed and used for AI training.—
Henry Kurkowski,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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In a world where we’re constantly reminded that physical media is dead — that the future is just algorithms stomping our faces, forever — the fact that the Criterion Closet has gone viral suggests that all is not lost.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
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No one could agree on whether the brawl of as many as nine young men was limited to fists or if its participants were also kicking and stomping.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Using a rasp grater such as a Microplane, finely zest the lemon into the bowl and gently toss the ingredients to combine.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2025
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The engine rasps and rumbles right up to the tachometer’s 7,000-rpm redline—and beyond, in fact, since peak power arrives at 7,500 rpm.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While sorting through storage in their Rhode Island studio to prep those reissues, Ivy stumbled upon a treasure trove of reel-to-reel tapes and old hard drives with unused material.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2025
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On a remote island in northern Norway, metal detectorists stumbled upon a pair of bronze treasures.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuff. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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