itched; itching; itches
1
a
: to have an itch
her arm itched
b
: to produce an itchy sensation
long underwear that itches
2
: to have a restless desire or hankering for something
were itching to go outside
1
a
: an uneasy irritating sensation in the upper surface of the skin usually held to result from mild stimulation of pain receptors
b
: a skin disorder accompanied by such a sensation
especially
: a contagious eruption caused by a mite (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrows in the skin and causes intense itching
Synonyms
Examples of itch in a Sentence
Verb
His eyes began to burn and itch because of his allergies.
This sweater makes me itch.
Noun
I had a slight itch on my back.
Scratching only makes the itch worse.
She's always had an itch for adventure.
He has an itch to travel.
Recent Examples on the Web
Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Symptoms include runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and itching in the nose, throat, eyes and mouth.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
Control the Itching As much as possible, resist the urge to itch your skin.
—Andrea Stanley, Health, 4 Mar. 2024
People with wheat allergies can suffer from symptoms that can include itching, swelling, diarrhea, nasal congestion and difficulty in breathing, and some can experience a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024
The appearance of a rash caused by wearing an Apple Watch may vary in appearance, but typically presents as redness, itching, or irritation on the skin in the area where the watch is worn, Shahbaz said.
—Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2024
The city of Independence isn’t itching to talk with the team, but officials are hopeful that the city’s concerns are taken into account in any community benefits agreement.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
But the prime minister already appears to be in campaign mode, analysts say, itching for a confrontation with President Biden that could re-energize his base.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Senior Peyton Marvel and the Jaguars are itching for revenge.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2024
Deanna Pai, Allure, 11 Apr. 2024
The best shampoo for men with dry scalp is one that features ingredients shown to help increase moisture and reduce itch from dry scalp.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Two big burning questions for me though: Will Lorne Michaels scratch the Mean Girls musical itch, since star Reneé Rapp is tonight’s musical guest?
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 21 Jan. 2024
Perspective Carolyn Hax: No ring yet, causing a whole other series of questions to pop ...
Perspective
Carolyn Hax: At 22, one partner since age 16 and a difficult itch to discus...
Advice
Carolyn Hax: Is dating a 48-year-old never-married man a waste of time?
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
If Asana doesn't scratch your itch, Airtable is also a worthy contender.
—PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
These opioid receptors when stimulated and/or inhibited by the body's natural ligands have been known to be involved in the body's itch circuitry.
—Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024
Sometimes her chin tingles or itches, which drives Tashay a bit batty.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2024
The barrier is impaired in skin that's affected by psoriasis, which can lead to dryness and itch.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 1 Feb. 2024
Verb
Symptoms of niacin toxicity include flushed skin, itching sensations, feelings of nausea, headaches, vomiting episodes, dizziness, and pain in the upper abdomen.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Symptoms include runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and itching in the nose, throat, eyes and mouth.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
Control the Itching As much as possible, resist the urge to itch your skin.
—Andrea Stanley, Health, 4 Mar. 2024
People with wheat allergies can suffer from symptoms that can include itching, swelling, diarrhea, nasal congestion and difficulty in breathing, and some can experience a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024
The appearance of a rash caused by wearing an Apple Watch may vary in appearance, but typically presents as redness, itching, or irritation on the skin in the area where the watch is worn, Shahbaz said.
—Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2024
The city of Independence isn’t itching to talk with the team, but officials are hopeful that the city’s concerns are taken into account in any community benefits agreement.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
But the prime minister already appears to be in campaign mode, analysts say, itching for a confrontation with President Biden that could re-energize his base.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Senior Peyton Marvel and the Jaguars are itching for revenge.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2024
Noun
That's why the CeraVe Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream contains 1% hydrocortisone—the maximum allowed over-the-counter—to help reduce eczema flares and offer quick itch relief, says Dr. Chang.
—Deanna Pai, Allure, 11 Apr. 2024
The best shampoo for men with dry scalp is one that features ingredients shown to help increase moisture and reduce itch from dry scalp.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Two big burning questions for me though: Will Lorne Michaels scratch the Mean Girls musical itch, since star Reneé Rapp is tonight’s musical guest?
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 21 Jan. 2024
Perspective Carolyn Hax: No ring yet, causing a whole other series of questions to pop ...
Perspective
Carolyn Hax: At 22, one partner since age 16 and a difficult itch to discus...
Advice
Carolyn Hax: Is dating a 48-year-old never-married man a waste of time?
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
If Asana doesn't scratch your itch, Airtable is also a worthy contender.
—PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
These opioid receptors when stimulated and/or inhibited by the body's natural ligands have been known to be involved in the body's itch circuitry.
—Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024
Sometimes her chin tingles or itches, which drives Tashay a bit batty.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2024
The barrier is impaired in skin that's affected by psoriasis, which can lead to dryness and itch.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 1 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'itch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to itch
Dictionary Entries Near itch
Cite this Entry
“Itch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/itch. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
itch
1 of 2 verb1
: to have or produce an itch
2
: to cause to itch
3
: to have a strong desire
itching to get going
itch
2 of 2 noun1
a
: an uneasy irritating feeling in the skin usually held to result from exciting cells or groups of cells which sense pain
b
: a skin disorder accompanied by an itch
especially
: scabies
2
: a restless usually constant desire
Medical Definition
itch
noun1
: an uneasy irritating sensation in the upper surface of the skin usually held to result from mild stimulation of pain receptors
2
: a skin disorder accompanied by an itch
especially
: a contagious eruption caused by an itch mite of the genus Sarcoptes (S. scabiei) that burrows in the skin and causes intense itching
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