Synonyms of rasp

rasp 1 of 2

noun

as in scratch

a harsh grating sound

the rusted lock opened with a rasp

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratch
• scrape
• creak
• grind
• clash
• screech
• jar
• croak
• clang
• clank
• blast
• jangle
• gargle
• scuff
• clangor
• bray
• bleat

rasp

2 of 2

verb

ˈrasp 

1

as in to rub

to make smooth by friction

after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rub
• file
• sand
• grind
• polish
• sharpen
• scrape
• hone
• buff
• smooth
• plane
• gloss
• shine
• edge
• sandblast
• scour
• burnish
• strop
• regrind
• whet
• dress

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rough (up)
• roughen
• coarsen
• scuff

2

as in to scratch

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratch
• scrape
• rub
• grate
• grind
• groan
• whine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slide
• glide
• skate

3

as in to annoy

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

the two siblings seemed intent on rasping each other for the entire car trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

• annoy
• bug
• bother
• irritate
• persecute
• grate
• get
• eat
• spite
• aggravate
• frost
• anger
• gripe
• ruffle
• worry
• itch
• nettle
• burn (up)
• wear on
• get to
• exasperate
• vex
• put out
• irk
• gall
• chafe
• rile
• hack (off)
• peeve
• tease
• pique
• infuriate
• nark
• plague
• insult
• provoke
• set one's teeth on edge
• rub the wrong way
• stick in one's craw
• get on one's nerves
• nag
• get one's goat
• upset
• devil
• rouse
• badger
• harass
• hassle
• enrage
• offend
• harry
• disquiet
• outrage
• distress
• discomfort
• heckle
• incense
• enflame
• bait
• antagonize
• agitate
• exercise
• fret
• discompose
• madden
• unsettle
• inflame
• affront
• ballyrag
• roil
• bullyrag
• unhinge
• rankle
• perturb
• pester
• undo
• miff
• freak (out)
• hagride

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• placate
• pacify
• please
• appease
• oblige
• satisfy
• delight
• conciliate
• gratify
• mollify
• quiet
• assure
• content
• propitiate
• comfort
• cheer
• soothe
• reassure
• console
• gladden
• solace

4

as in to wear

to damage or diminish by continued friction

during the last ice age, glaciers rasped the surface, leaving the deeply scarred rock

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wear
• erode
• fray
• rub
• reduce
• bite
• shave
• file
• sharpen
• fret
• scrape
• abrade
• gall
• chafe
• erase
• eat
• grate
• sandpaper
• chew
• corrade
• gnaw
• nibble
• frazzle
• wipe (away)
• graze
• wear out
• grind
• sandblast
• scour
• scuff
• disintegrate
• decompose
• corrode
• rub out
• dissolve
• hone
• whet
• break down
• break up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rasp

Noun

One great thing about Hackman is that there was no alteration in the rounded rasp of his voice when the moral conditions changed. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

The soft rasp of her voice was a surprise, deeper than Sam would have expected from someone so small. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2025

Verb

City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Marcus Rashford’s rasping long-range strike in the eighth minute and a glaring miss from the prolific Haaland from barely two meters out. —Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024

And then Elisabeth uses it, and her spine splits open, leaving her a rasping husk of flesh while an alternate self rises, in the dewy buff, to survey her taut flesh with a clinical eye in the mirror. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024