to scuffle

Examples

• All

• Margaret tried to sleep, but she heard scuffling feet and smothered giggles at the foot of her bed.

  Fiction book (1992)

• The cat scuffled across the kitchen floor, making a noise as it pushed past the chairs.

• What kind of life have you got scuffling around the small rooms?

  The Hustler (1961)

• Something scuffles across my feet; I die a little; I decide it's a possum.

  Fiction book (2000)

• Barry heard something scuffling through the weeds near where he lay.

  Fiction book (2001)

• The other men stood silently, scuffling their heavy boots in the dust.

  Fiction book (1995)

• "Andrew trudged ahead, kicking up tiny clouds of dust as he scuffled along the dirt path.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Nacho came back wearing blue-striped boxers, scuffling the floor with his shower shoes.

  Fiction book (1994)

• A thud and a scuffling sound from the maze of bookshelves beyond answered her.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Randy and Bill, her husband, watch as Sam turns and walks purposefully down the walkway—his house slippers scuffling on the quiet street.

  Fiction book (2001)

Synonyms

S

to scuff

vsto scuffle

4 3.5

To walk by dragging your feet and making a soft rubbing sound

is a broader shuffling motion rather than only feet scraping

G

to galumph

vsto scuffle

• Informal

1 9.9

To move in a heavy, noisy, and clumsy way

is a shuffling motion that focuses on dragging feet and sound

Antonyms

R

to run

∞ 1.0

To move a boat fast in the same direction as the wind

S

to stride

16 2.7

To walk with long confident steps toward a place

Compounds

S

scuffle hoe

• Specialized

8.8

A garden tool with a flat blade you push to cut weeds and loosen soil

How Noisy

to stomp

144 2.9

to scuffle

1 3.7

to pad

10 6.4

to shuffle

45 3.8

to scuff

2 3.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology