up to scratch

adjective

sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality

“They decided that his performance was not up to scratch.”

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Meanings

adjectiveup to scratch (comparative more up to scratch, superlative most up to scratch)

comparative more up to scratch · superlative most up to scratch

  1. idiomaticsufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality

    They decided that his performance was not up to scratch.

    1 more example

    But the new trains form just one part of Metro Flow. It's no good having new trains if the network itself isn't up to scratch.

    2023 November 29, Richard Foster, “Tyne & Wear Metro goes with the flow”, in RAIL, number 997, page 32

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
satisfactoryup to parup to snuff

Origin

From scratch in the sense of a starting line, as in boxing.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

up to scratch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/up%20to%20scratch

MLA

“up to scratch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/up%20to%20scratch. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “up to scratch,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/up%20to%20scratch.

Source: up to scratch on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.