Scrape vs. Scrap

Scrape and scrap look and sound somewhat similar, but their meanings are completely different. One is about rubbing or scratching a surface, and the other is about throwing something away or keeping leftover pieces.

Scrape

Scrape means to rub, scratch, or remove something from a surface — often causing a mark or small injury.

• Be careful not to scrape your knee.
• I had to scrape ice off the car window.
• The chair scraped loudly across the floor.

Scrap

Scrap has two main meanings:

• A small leftover piece of something (paper, metal, food).
• To throw something away or cancel it.

• He wrote the number on a scrap of paper.
• They decided to scrap the project and start again.
• The factory recycles metal scraps.