Meaning & use
notch
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Meanings
nouncountable
A small V-shaped or square cut made in the edge or surface of something.
Grammar: Often used with in or on: a notch in the wood.
Patterns
- a notch in something
- cut a notch
He cut a notch in the post to mark the height.
The belt has a notch for each size.
The knife left a small notch in the blade.
nouncountableinformal
A level or step on a scale, especially a small increase in quality or amount.
Grammar: Usually used with up, down or above: a notch above the rest.
Patterns
- a notch above something
- move up a notch
- turn something up a notch
The new design is a notch above the old one.
The restaurant took its service up a notch.
Her grades slipped a notch this term.
verbtransitiveinformal
To achieve, score or add up a win, a point or other result.
Grammar: Often followed by up: notch up a win.
Patterns
- notch something
- notch something up
The team notched its fifth win in a row.
She notched a personal best in the final.
He notched up a hundred hours of flying this month.
verbtransitive
To make a cut or small groove in something.
Grammar: Takes an object: notch a stick.
Patterns
- notch something
He notched the arrow so it would sit on the string.
The carpenter notched the beam to fit the joint.
She notched the stick every day to count the days.
Word forms
| plural | notches |
|---|---|
| third person singular | notches |
| past tense | notched |
| past participle | notched |
| -ing form | notching |
Common combinations
- top-notch
- The hotel offers top-notch service.
- a notch above
- This brand is a notch above the rest.
- notch up a victory
- The club notched up a victory on Saturday.
- take it up a notch
- For the finale, the band took it up a notch.
- a notch in the belt
- He moved his belt in by a notch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nick
- Nick is a small shallow cut, while notch is a deliberate cut that has a clear shape.
- level
- Level is a neutral step on a scale, while notch suggests a small incremental step.
- achieve
- Achieve is formal and general, but notch is informal and fits sports and scores.
- score
- Score is used for points in games, while notch can also describe other wins or milestones.
Word family
Commonly confused: notch or nudge?
notch vs nudge
A nudge is a gentle push, while a notch is a cut or a step on a scale.
Practice
The striker ___ her tenth goal of the season on Sunday.
Choose one answer.
Notched here means achieved or added to a tally. Nicked and carved relate to cuts, and scored out means crossed out, so they do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “notch”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.