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Glite Dictionary
to scratch an itch

to scratch an itch

4.3
Satisfy a strong wish you cannot ignore
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : satisfacer un deseo
  • I often listen to music that scratches an itch for nostalgia when I feel down.

I can't say more than that, but they they'll scratch an itch, a curiosity itch.

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Examples

  • Remember, for people who are narcissistic, they're attempting to scratch an itch that will probably never go away.

  • I forgot what it's like to scratch an itch.

    Spirited (2022)

  • Love Island was there to scratch an itch that needed Elite.

    High Performance

  • The reason you'd like to scratch an itch is because itches come from a different part of your brain than pain does.

  • I can't say more than that, but they they'll scratch an itch, a curiosity itch.

    The Iced Coffee Hour

  • Reading mystery novels at night helps me scratch an itch for excitement before bed.

  • Many people watch reality TV shows to scratch an itch for entertainment and drama.

Synonyms

to scratch one's own itch
vsto scratch an itch
  • Jargon
7.8

To do something that solves a problem you have

satisfies a desire without implying you made the solution yourself
to get a fix of
vsto scratch an itch
  • NSFW
8.0

Have a small amount of something you want to feel better for a short time

satisfies a persistent desire not only a short temporary need

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to suppress
176 4.8

To stop public protest by force or by people in power

How Satisfied

to sate
11 6.2
to indulge
68 4.3
to scratch an itch
  • Informal
4.3

Surface Forms

scratch an itch infinitive
scratched an itch past
scratched an itch past participle
scratching an itch present participle
scratches an itch third person singular

Morphology

scratch + an + itch

The phrase literally combines 'scratch' (to rub to relieve) and 'itch' (a strong urge or physical sensation), so the idea of relieving an itch maps onto relieving a desire; this metaphorical extension is recognizable from the constituent meanings. Because the mapping is figurative rather than strictly compositional, a B1 learner who knows both words can often infer the sense in context but may not always do so without exposure, so it is partially transparent.

Etymology

Scratch an itch comes from the simple image of using scratch to rub an itch until the uncomfortable feeling stops. So, to scratch an itch now means to 'satisfy a strong desire you can't ignore'.