scratching out

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Just 10% of Kenyan workers have formal jobs, meaning millions, especially young people, are scratching out a living on the edges of the economy, according to the World Bank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 9, 2025

In between are the workaday yarns of aspiring auteurs scratching out a living at the bottom rungs of the movie business.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2023

If you go to the main Hamburg train station, then you’ll see a lot of those people scratching out their existence.

From Scientific American • Jun. 1, 2023

For decades, federal law has forbidden gun owners from scratching out the serial numbers that manufacturers are legally required to place on firearms.

From Slate • Oct. 13, 2022

I been practicing what I’m gonna say to Miss Cook, scratching out lines in my head that don’t work.

From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome