scratchy

/ˈskɹæt͡ʃi/

//ˈskɹæt͡ʃi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"scratchy" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scratchy” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,677. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,677
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Characterized by scratches.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scratchy · scratchy · English

scratchy · rank #37,677 · 14 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,677
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH SCP

Nearest frequency peer: SCP (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “scratchy”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “scratchy” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

scratchy vs stretchy
75% similar
scratchy vs scratch
88% similar
scratchy vs scratched
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for scratchy
PropertyValue
Headwordscratchy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskɹæt͡ʃi/
Letters8
Frequency rank#37,677
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “scratchy”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).scratchylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “SCP” (#37,676), “scuffle” (#37,678), “scoot” (#37,675). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “scratchy” is #37,677. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around scratchy (IPA /ˈskɹæt͡ʃi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #37,677 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for scratchy, with forms such as "csratchy", "scartchy", and "sccratchy". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "stretchy", "scratch", "scratched", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From scratch + -y. The correct English form is scratchy, spelled S-C-R-A-T-C-H-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Characterized by scratches.
  2. 2
    Irritating; itchy.
  3. 3
    Noisy, lossy; marred by white noise or static as a result of poor or low signal, interference or unfavourable atmospheric conditions.
  4. 4
    Having popping and/or crackling sounds due to excessive wear, especially from scratch marks.
  5. 5
    Irritable; tetchy.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how scratchy appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. An indulgent playmate, Grannie would lay aside the long scratchy-looking letter she was writing (heavily crossed ‘to save notepaper’) and enter into the delightful pastime of ‘a chicken from Mr Whiteley's’.
  2. The FM station two hundred miles away was receivable, but the audio was too scratchy to positively identify.

Etymology

From scratch + -y.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • csratchy
  • scartchy
  • sccratchy
  • scracthy
  • scratcchy
  • scratchhy
  • scratchyy
  • scratcyh
  • scrathcy
  • scrattchy
  • scrratchy
  • scrtachy
  • srcatchy
  • sscratchy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of scratchy - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

csratchy2scartchy2sccratchy1scracthy2scratcchy1scratchhy1scratchyy1scratcyh2
Edit distance from "scratchy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "scratchy"?
"scratchy" is spelled S-C-R-A-T-C-H-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskɹæt͡ʃi/.
What does "scratchy" mean?
As an adjective, "scratchy" means: Characterized by scratches.
What words are commonly confused with "scratchy"?
"scratchy" is commonly confused with "stretchy", "scratch", "scratched". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scratchy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scratchy" is /ˈskɹæt͡ʃi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "scratchy"?
From scratch + -y. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "scratchy", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

sensuous#37,681rockland#37,662skittles#37,693reseller#37,659

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

resection14 variantsstorybook14 variantspropriety14 variantspropelling14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list