scuff

1 of 2

verb

scuffed; scuffing; scuffs

intransitive verb

1
a
: to walk without lifting the feet : shuffle
b
: to poke or shuffle a foot in exploration or embarrassment
2
: to become scratched, chipped, or roughened by wear
a countertop that won't scuff

transitive verb

1
2
a
: to scrape (the feet) along a surface while walking or back and forth while standing
b
: to poke at with the toe
3
: to scratch, gouge, or wear away the surface of
scuffed my shoes

scuff

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a noise of or as if of scuffing
b
: the act or an instance of scuffing
c
: a mark or injury caused by scuffing
2
: a flat-soled slipper without quarter or heel strap compare mule

Examples of scuff in a Sentence

Verb She scuffed down the hall towards her room. scuffed up her shoes by rubbing her feet under the rung of the chair Noun She slid into her scuffs and headed into the kitchen.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
His 16-minute cameo against Tottenham Hotspur in November provided flickers of the Belgian at his glorious best, threading the ball for Erling Haaland moments after coming on, before swinging in a first-time cross that was scuffed over the bar by a back-tracking defence. The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025 Woodlots offered concealment from surveillance and attack, and the dirt surrounding this grove was scuffed by foot trails, suggesting Russian arrivals by night. C.j. Chivers Robert Fass Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
Its exterior still looks nearly new with just a few scuff marks on the rubber accent pieces. Madison Yauger, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025 Mademoiselle partnered with bottier Raymond Massaro to rework the shoe, lowering and flattening its stiletto to a five-centimeter heel, squaring its toe slightly, and choosing a beige body (to lengthen the leg) and a black cap (to hide any scuffs). Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scuff 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1768, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of scuff was in 1768

Dictionary Entries Near scuff

Cite this Entry

“Scuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scuff. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

scuff

1 of 2 verb
1
: to scrape the feet in walking : shuffle
2
: to become rough or scratched through wear

scuff

2 of 2 noun
: a noise or act of scuffing

More from Merriam-Webster on scuff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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