scuff

1 of 2

verb

ˈskəf 

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

: cuff entry 3

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

Synonyms

Verb

• abrade
• graze
• scrape
• scratch

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

Verb

Pedri then opened the scoring before Fermin Lopez missed a chance early in the second half to make it 2-0, scuffing his shot as Oblak saved. —Pol Ballús, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

Every detail of this record has been labored over, polished, and scuffed up, yet the greasy light of mortal emotion shines through. —Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024

Noun

My vehicle sustained no damage, with the exception of a scuff mark on the right front corner, therefore no tow was necessary. —Boston Herald Staff, Boston Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

The one area to avoid, though, is using them to clean scuffs off walls. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

scuff

1 of 2 verb

ˈskəf 

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