GRATE Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

grate

verb

Definition of grate

as in to annoy

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts unintentionally or not, you say rude things that grate people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to scratch

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sled grated along the bare pavement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grit

to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound he grated the pieces of metal together

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of grate Instead of slicing and dicing the zucchini, grate it on the large holes of a box grater or the grater attachment of a food processor. — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Their children — Graham (played at 12 by Noah Alexander Sosnowski and later at 17 by Gabriel Barbosa) and Ruth (played at 8 by Riley Chung and 13 by Emma Ho) — are at turns grating, nonsensical, and ill-defined like everything else in the film. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 DOMi’s maximalist playing rarely lets up, and the densely harmonized vocals and orchestra begin to grate. — Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026 How to Grate Zucchini Once grated, the one large zucchini for this recipe should come out to about 1 ¾ cups of shreds. — Martha Stewart, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grate

Verb

That was Gardner’s first game with the Colts after being acquired from the New York Jets, and while Indy pulled out the OT victory, Gardner was still annoyed by some of the social media chatter afterward.

— James Boyd, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Debt collectors also can't repeatedly call with the intent to annoy, abuse or harass you.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoy

Verb

Health officials say people can prevent rabies by keeping bats out of homes, vaccinating their pets and washing bites or scratches with soap and water before seeking medical help.

— Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Marte began his week by failing to show up to Fenway Park for the team’s game against the Boston Red Sox on Monday and was scratched from the lineup minutes before first pitch.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of scratch

Verb

Right-handed reliever Joel Peguero (left hamstring strain) will be shut down for the rest of the year due to a recurring hamstring strain that’s bothered him since spring training.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
McGarey’s son told his mom not to bother sending packages because people weren’t receiving them.

— Chris Quintana, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of bother

Verb

With contact dermatitis, a product like a soap or chemical irritates the skin or causes an allergic reaction, leading to symptoms like itching, discoloration, swelling, or even blisters.

— Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Be sure to use a fragrance-free, gentle detergent to avoid irritating sensitive skin with any residue.

— Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of irritate

Verb

For someone with a flexible foot or a narrow forefoot where the toes tend to crowd each other, separating the big toe from the second toe can reduce rubbing and irritation.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
The tacos feature za’atar rubbed swordfish kissed by a wood-burning grill, dabbed with tangy pools of labne and a salsa arabe, similar to harissa.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of rub

Verb

Not too much bugs him, but he sometimes is annoyed by his baby sister and doesn’t trust people who put pineapple on their pizza.

— Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
The indictment revealed that prosecutors had bugged the Aisenbergs' home for three months after Sabrina's disappearance.

— Curran Rastogi, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of bug

Browse Nearby Words

grass (on)

grate

G-rated

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“Grate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grate. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of grate

verb

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