scrape along

phrasal verb

scraped along; scraping along; scrapes along
: to live with barely enough money : to be able to buy only the things most needed
She's scraping along on just a few hundred dollars a month.

Examples of scrape along in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jellyfish scrape along the sea floor like spindly mushroom clouds of portent, stinging Sofia who masochistically (and in a way that carries over to her actual human relationships) keeps going back for another dip. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Feb. 2025 When the two ships collided, the bow of YM Serenity scraped along the side of HL Eco and smashed through one of its huge liquid gas fuel tanks mounted at the rear of the vessel. Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 1 Aug. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scrape along.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrape%20along. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!