Microscratch　test　was　carried　out　by　Berkovich　indenter　on　four　thermoplastics　of　distinct　characteristics:　polytetrafluoroethylene　(PTFE)　is　soft　and　self-lubricating;　polycarbonate　(PC)　is　an　engineering　plastic　of　good　toughness;　polyphenylene　sulfide　(PPS)　is　a　hard　and　brittle　material;　and　polyamide　6　(PA6)　has　good　elastic　recovery　rate.　Effects　of　sliding　velocity　on　scratch　responses　of　the　four　thermoplastics　under　different　constant　normal　loads　were　compared　and　quantified.　With　the　increase　in　sliding　velocity,　penetration　depth,　residual　depth,　residual　scratch　width,　and　contact　scratch　width　decrease　nonlinearly;　scratch　hardness　and　elastic　recovery　rate　increase　nonlinearly.　PTFE,　which　has　the　smallest　hardness,　exhibits　the　largest　penetration　depth　and　scratch　width,　and　the　smallest　scratch　friction　coefficient,　implying　its　weakest　scratch　resistance.　PA6　has　the　largest　elastic　recovery　rate　(greater　than　80%),　indicating　its　good　scratch　resistance.　The　surface　morphologies　of　PPS　and　PC　are　sensitive　to　sliding　velocity.　The　scratch　friction　coefficient　of　PPS　is　most　sensitive　to　sliding　velocity　and　increases　significantly　with　the　increase　in　sliding　velocity,　while　scratch　friction　coefficients　of　PTFE　and　PA6　are　insensitive　to　sliding　velocity,　and　the　scratch　friction　coefficient　of　PC　is　only　sensitive　to　sliding　velocity　under　small　sliding　velocities.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.