rating

noun

rat·​ing ˈrā-tiŋ 

1

: a classification according to grade

specifically : a military or naval specialist classification

2

chiefly British : an enlisted sailor

3

a

: relative estimate or evaluation : standing

the school has a good academic rating

b

: an estimate of an individual's or business's credit and responsibility

c

: an estimate of the percentage of the public listening to or viewing a particular radio or television program

4

: a stated operating limit of a machine expressible in power units (such as kilowatts of a direct-current generator) or in characteristics (such as voltage)

Examples of rating in a Sentence

The school has an above-average academic rating.

The article compares the fuel-economy ratings of various cars.

Recent Examples on the Web

The show was ultimately canceled amid low ratings, per NPR. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025

Stacy Rasgon – Bernstein Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon is also upbeat about Nvidia’s prospects and has a buy rating on the semiconductor stock with a price target of $275. —Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025

Anrabess Half-zip Tracksuit This is the top-selling tracksuit on Amazon, with more than 7,700 total ratings. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025

Among the Heat’s 42 two-man combinations who entered Thursday with at least 100 minutes logged together this season, the Adebayo-Ware combo owned the worst net rating. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rating

• approval rating
• credit rating
• Q rating
• self-rating

Rhymes for rating

• baiting
• bating
• crating
• dating
• freighting
• gating
• grating
• hating
• mating
• plaiting
• plating
• prating

Kids Definition

rating

noun

rat·​ing

ˈrāt-iŋ

: a position within a grading system

credit rating