Meaning
“Scratch out” means to remove or erase something by scratching, or to delete words or drawings by drawing lines over them. It can also mean to barely manage to survive or earn a living with great difficulty.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Phrasal verb
- Transitive/Intransitive: Usually transitive when referring to erasing, and intransitive when referring to surviving.
Patterns
- scratch out + noun → erase something by scratching. Example: She scratched out the wrong word.
- scratch out a living/existence → barely survive. Example: They scratched out a living on the farm.
Common Phrases
- scratch out a word
- scratch out a mistake
- scratch out a living
- scratch out an existence
Collocations
- scratch out + mistake
- scratch out + line/word/sentence
- scratch out + a living/existence
Examples
- He quickly scratched out his name and wrote a new one.
- The teacher told him to scratch out the wrong answer.
- She scratched out a living by selling handmade crafts at the market.
- Farmers scratched out an existence in the dry land.
- He scratched out the drawing and started again.
- The editor scratched out unnecessary sentences.
- They scratched out a meager living in the countryside.
- She angrily scratched out the date on the letter.
Synonyms or Related
- Erase
- Rub out
- Cross out
- Cancel
- Strike through
- Get by (for "scratch out a living")
Antonym
- Write in
- Add
- Preserve
- Thrive (opposite of "scratch out a living")