grate

verb

Definition of gratenext
1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to scratch
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sled grated along the bare pavement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Comté cheese, coarsely grated, to béchamel and stir until melted and combined. — Alexia Duchêne, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 June 2026 Rollins grated Breakker’s face against the steel cage as Bron collapsed. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 There’s something grating about finding out that the customer service representative on the other end of the line is an AI agent, not an actual human. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 25 June 2026 For instance, try finely grated vegetables like zucchini, carrots and mushrooms, panko, ricotta cheese, yogurt or tomato paste. — Tribune News Service, Denver Post, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grate
  1. annoy
  2. scratch
  3. grit
  4. bother
  5. scrape
  6. irritate
  7. rub
  8. bug
Verb
  • Andreu Martínez of Spain humorously said in July 2024 that the use of squirt guns was to annoy the tourists a bit.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
  • Hotel-booking platform HotelTonight surveyed 447 of its American adult users in June about what annoys them the most during travel.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • And yes, there are also folding pedals that people can buy, although Flatbike points out that those could could still scratch paintwork.
    — Shirl Leigh July 26, New Atlas, 26 July 2026
  • But The Dink has a 74% on RT (compared to 26% for The Hawk) and might scratch that sports-movie itch if it hasn’t already been scratched.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • Showed toughness by gritting through ankle and knee injuries in the Final Four and title game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 June 2026
  • Then the coach known as the most impulsive man on an NFL sideline runs that stop sign, grits his teeth and breaks unbound into character.
    — Michael Silver, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of grit
Verb
  • Lowe’s marginal position in Britain doesn’t seem to bother his allies in the United States.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • She couldn’t be bothered to hear half of the testimony about carriage horses.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • And, in turn, the Warriors literally added no one, save for two draft picks, to a depressing roster that scraped together 37 measly wins last year.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
  • All of this makes the album feel more like a mixtape in progress, scraped together from features cut from other people’s projects.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
Definition of scrape
Verb
  • Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the US Constitution.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • It must be made from a comfortable material that won’t chafe or otherwise irritate the skin.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Schmitt was visibly shaken up and could be seen rubbing his left knee in discomfort.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • About 30 seconds under running water, while gently rubbing the produce with your hands, does far more than a passive soak.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 27 July 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs before settling in.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, a law-enforcement agency known as NABU, had bugged Mindich’s apartment in Kyiv, and detectives picked up his conversations about Fire Point.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of bug

Browse Nearby Words

grass (on)
grate
G-rated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grate. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grate

Nglish: Translation of grate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grate

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