What does scuffed mean?
Scuffed describes a surface that has been made rough, scratched, dull, or visibly worn through rubbing or repeated use. Scuffed shoes, scuffed leather, and scuffed paintwork are familiar examples, and the word often conveys the ordinary, gradual damage associated with everyday life rather than one dramatic incident. As a verb, scuff means to rub or scrape a surface and produce such marks, or to become marked in that way. The term is informal but widely used in both British and American English. It is more precise than simply saying that something is old: a new object can become scuffed after a single scrape, while an older object may retain an unmarked surface. Scuff is the related base form, and scuffing and scuffs are other common derivatives.
Marked, scratched, dulled, or worn as a result of rubbing, scraping, or repeated use.
"He polished his scuffed boots before leaving the house."
Commonly used for shoes, clothing, leather, furniture, and painted or tiled surfaces.
To become worn or marked through rubbing or scraping, or to cause a surface to become worn or marked.
"The new shoes scuffed quickly against the rough pavement."
The passive and past-participle forms are particularly common in everyday descriptions.
Scuffed describes the small signs of a life lived in: worn shoes, scratched leather, and marks that turn ordinary objects into well-traveled companions.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scuffed come from?
The word is English and is related to the base form scuff, an older verb meaning to strike, rub, or scrape. The adjective scuffed developed as a past-participle form describing something that had been rubbed or marked. Its more general sense of being worn through everyday use became established in modern English.
Related word forms
How scuffed is actually used
The adjective is common in everyday speech and is especially associated with shoes, leather, furniture, paintwork, and other surfaces that show wear. The verb can describe either the result of rubbing or the act of rubbing a surface.