scratchy

adjective

ˈskra-chē 

scratchier; scratchiest

1

: marked or made with scratches

scratchy drawing

scratchy handwriting

2

: likely to scratch : prickly

scratchy undergrowth

3

: making a scratching noise

4

: uneven in quality : ragged

5

: causing tingling or itching : irritating

scratchy wool

6

: somewhat inflamed and sore

a scratchy throat

scratchily

ˈskra-chə-lē 

adverb

scratchiness

ˈskra-chē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• brambly
• prickly
• thistly
• thorny

Examples of scratchy in a Sentence

listening to scratchy old records

The costume is made from scratchy material.

He is sick with a scratchy throat.

Recent Examples on the Web

His voice — raw, nasal, scratchy but full of passion, anger and wry wisdom — is near enough to the original to be unmistakable and yet colored by the actor’s persona to a degree that suggests something closer to symbiosis than impersonation. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024

The aloe vera and shea butter nourish and soothe, leaving you with supple, fluffy hair rather than a scratchy feeling. —Hyphensocial Contributors, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024

For me, that joy stems from planning—and going on—big trips with friends, preferably during a time of year when viral infections aren’t swirling, the weather’s warm and sunny, and there are no scratchy, generic sweaters with fuzz balls on them in sight. —Julia Sullivan, SELF, 6 Dec. 2024

Gone are the days of scratchy speaker boxes where items got lost in translation. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

scratchy

adjective

ˈskrach-ē 

scratchier; scratchiest

1

: likely to scratch or make sore or raw : prickly

scratchy woolens

2

: making a scratching noise

3

: marked or made with scratches

a scratchy surface

scratchy handwriting

4

: uneven in quality : ragged

played a scratchy game of golf

5

: somewhat sore

a scratchy throat

scratchiness noun