scraping
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that scrapes.
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the sound of something being scraped.
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Usually scrapings. something that is scraped off, up, or together.
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Digital Technology. the process of extracting data from a digital source for automated replication, formatting, or manipulation by a computer program, as in data mining or website data analysis: web scraping;
screen scraping;
web scraping;
URL scraping.
noun
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the act of scraping
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a sound produced by scraping
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(often plural) something scraped off, together, or up; a small amount
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of scraping
A late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at scrape, -ing 1
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.
In revisiting his cherished alien subgenre for the fourth time with “Disclosure Day,” Spielberg returns to where his career started, scraping away the classic marks of extraterrestrial intrigue and replacing them with human counterpoints.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
Opencast mining involves scraping rock and earth away at the surface to recover coal - creating an open pit, rather than digging deep underground.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Now software stocks are scraping themselves off the floor—but are still behind the curve as big investors stick with what has worked.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
It’s no small feat scraping up money for rent.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
I was in the bathroom scraping a quick razor over my face when Judy Poovey came in and rushed over so fast I cut my cheek.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.