scratchproof

scratchproof — adjective

1. made or designed so that its surface does not get marks or lines when sharp or h

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

made or designed so that its surface does not get marks or lines when sharp or hard objects rub against it

Example

The new smartphone has a scratchproof screen that survived Ishaan's drop test.

attributive use: scratchproof + noun

Hui chose a scratchproof watch because her old one had marks all over the glass.

causal clause showing motivation for purchase

Common collocations
  • scratchproof screen / glass / lens / lenses
  • scratchproof paint / coating / surface
  • scratchproof case / cover / back
Synonyms
  • scratch-resistant

    more common in everyday use; less absolute in tone than scratchproof

  • hardened

    different mechanism — refers to a treatment that makes the material harder, which also resists scratches

  • durable

    broader meaning; covers resistance to many kinds of wear, not just scratches

Antonyms
  • scratch-prone

    direct opposite — easily scratched

  • delicate

    broader — easily damaged, not only by scratching

Grammar Patterns

scratchproof + noun

be + scratchproof

Usage Note

Common in product descriptions and marketing for electronic devices, watches, eyewear, and automotive paint. The compound form can appear both before a noun (a scratchproof screen) and after a linking verb (the glass is scratchproof).

Common Mistakes

Keep your keys away from the scratchproof case — it will scratch them.
The scratchproof case won't get scratched by your keys.
scratchproof means the object itself resists scratches, not that it is harmless to other items.

Word family

  • scratch
    verbB1
  • scratch
    nounB2
  • scratch-resistant
    adjectiveB2
  • scratch-free
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a surface that resists damage, but they differ in scope and mechanism. Scratch-resistant is the most direct synonym, though it suggests a reduction in scratches rather than full immunity — a scratch-resistant table may still show marks under a knife, whereas scratchproof implies a stronger guarantee. Hardened and toughened refer to a treatment that changes the material itself: hardened glass is made stronger through heat or chemical processing, while toughened glass is rapidly cooled to create internal compression. Durable is the broadest term, covering resistance to wear, breaking, fading, and many other forms of damage beyond scratching. If you need a precise description of how well a phone screen resists keys in a pocket, scratch-resistant is the natural everyday choice. For a manufacturer's technical claim about glass treatment, toughened or hardened is more accurate.

scratch-resistanthardenedtougheneddurable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • proved scratchproof
  • remains scratchproof
  • claimed to be scratchproof

Prepositions

  • against scratches

Etymology

Middle EnglishLate LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Formed in English from the noun scratch (from a blend of Middle English scratten and cracchen, both meaning 'to scratch') and the suffix -proof (from Late Latin proba 'a test', via Old French proeve), meaning 'resistant to scratching.' The word first appeared in the early 20th century as a marketing term for treated glass and metal surfaces.