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Glite Dictionary
to scratch that

to scratch that

11 7.7
Tell people to ignore what you just said
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : olvidarlo
  • Let's scratch that idea and come up with a new plan.
  • Okay, scratch that
  • No—scratch that
  • Wait—scratch that

You know, I'm saying it is not like, OK, you don't make it in the league, I scratch that.

Examples

  • No, scratch that, it's better than I imagined.

    Wonka (2023)

  • You can email me at... scratch that.

    Blog text (19)

  • We have to do what we can... scratch that... we have to do more than we ever thought possible with what we have.

    Blog text (4)

  • "Let me scratch that," he added.

    Blog text (1)

  • I guess we'll have to scratch that whole batch

    Northpole: Open for Christmas (2015)

  • Okay, scratch that, 'cause that's not even relevant.

    Margaret (2011)

  • Well, actually, scratch that, I do understand, but your critics are extremely shortsighted and foolish.

    Blog text (9)

  • You know, scratch that.

    The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

  • I considered buying a wooden dowel rod, but scratched that plan because I just didn't like it.

    Blog text (22)

  • How would you—scratch that—how would one go about it?

    Fiction book (1997)

Synonyms

never mind
vsto scratch that
224 2.7

Telling someone not to worry and to forget what you said

cancels a previous remark or plan rather than just easing concern

Antonyms

to acknowledge
367 3.8

To admit that something is true or real

to reinstate
110 5.8

To return a person or thing to a previous position like a job

Surface Forms

scratch that infinitive
scratched that past
scratched that past participle
scratching that present participle
scratches that third person singular

Morphology

scratch + that

The meaning 'ignore/disregard or cancel a previous statement' is directly composed from 'scratch' (to cross out or cancel) plus the demonstrative 'that' referring to the prior idea, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the intended command. This is a straightforward verb + demonstrative pattern common in spoken English (and paralleled in many languages), making the expression immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Scratch that comes from the literal act of scratching out a word or sentence on paper to show it should be removed. That's why saying scratch that tells someone to 'ignore' or 'cancel' what you just said.