Phrase guide

scrape along

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

to barely be able to survive

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Qualifier: with on or with

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

manage one's existence barely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I guess I can squeeze by on this lousy salary

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scrape by, scratch along, squeak by, squeeze by, rub along

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cope, get by, make out, make do, contend, grapple, deal, manage

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hindi: काटना (kāṭnā) — to barely be able to survive
  • Portuguese: se virar — to barely be able to survive