What does scratched mean?
Scratched is the past tense and past participle of scratch, and it can function as both a verb form and an adjective. Its most common meaning describes a surface marked by a thin cut, groove, or abrasion: a scratched table may have lost its finish, while a scratched screen may have a visible line across it. The word can also refer to writing or an entry that has been crossed out, as when a name is scratched from a list or a plan is scratched out in ink. In reporting on competitions, a scratched horse or candidate is one that has been withdrawn from an event. These contexts allow scratched to convey both the action of making a mark and the resulting damaged, cancelled, or withdrawn condition. Its usefulness lies in this combination: it is a concise way to describe a small physical mark while also extending naturally to figurative and administrative uses.
The past tense and past participle of scratch: to make a shallow cut, groove, or abrasion in something, or to withdraw from a contest.
"The dog scratched the wooden floor near the door."
As the past participle, it may appear before an object or after an auxiliary verb, as in "has scratched" or "the scratched surface."
Marked with scratches, abrasions, or grooves; crossed out or cancelled; or withdrawn from an event.
"The scratched report was replaced with a clean copy."
The adjective is normally formed from the verb's past participle and is commonly used before a noun.
One scratch may be tiny, but it can leave a mark long after the moment that caused it has passed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scratched come from?
Scratched descends through Middle English scratchen from Old English scrac(c)an, an English form with relatives in other Germanic languages. The modern family includes scratch, scratchy, scratcher, and scratchily, all reflecting the older root associated with making marks or rubbing with a sharp object. The modern past form scratched continues the inflectional pattern of the Middle English verb.
How scratched is actually used
Scratched is standard in formal and informal English. In its competition sense, it is especially common in British and American sporting, racing, and election reporting, while the crossed-out sense is common in both everyday writing and figurative discussion.
Easily confused with scratched
Scratched usually refers to shallow cuts or grooves made by a sharp or pointed object, whereas scraped often means removed or rubbed against a rough surface.