1
a
: a level of study in an elementary, middle, or secondary school that is completed by a student during one year
will enter eleventh grade this year
students in the second grade
b
: the students in the same year of study in elementary, middle, or secondary school
The ninth grade is away on a field trip.
c(1)
: a position in a scale of ranks or qualities
Each grade of steel contains sub-divisions corresponding to steels of different yield stress and impact requirements.—
G. D. Taylor
G. D. Taylor
(2)
: a stage in a process
… we should bear in mind that animals displaying early transitional grades of the structure will seldom continue to exist to the present day, for they will have been supplanted by the very process of perfection through natural selection.—Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
d
: a degree of severity in illness
grade III carcinoma
e
: a military or naval rank
To be prepared for burial Claggart's body was delivered to certain petty-officers of his mess. And … the Master-at-arms was committed to the sea with every funeral honor properly belonging to his naval grade.—Herman Melville
Herman Melville… her father being a country clergyman who had never reached a higher grade than that of an archdeacon …—Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope2
a
: a mark indicating a degree of accomplishment in school
earned good grades in school
What was your grade on the math test?
b
: a class of things of the same stage or degree
c
: a standard of food quality
Extra-virgin is the highest grade of olive oil.—Lisa McManus
Lisa McManus3
a
: the degree of inclination of a road or slope
… one track went straight up the steep hill, the other one turned square off to the right, with a very slight grade.—Mark Twain
Mark Twain
also
: a sloping road
The car … toiled up the long, long grades, past Ash Fork, towards Flagstaff, where the forests and quarries are, under the dry, remote skies. —Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
b
: a datum or reference level
especially
: ground level sense 1a
4
: a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding
5
[translation of German Stufe] linguistics
: any of the variants of a root or affix (distinguished by a particular vowel or the absence of any vowel) in the ablaut series of an Indo-European language
6
grades plural
: the elementary school system
graded; grading
1
a
: to assign to a grade or assign a grade to
… Mrs. Granger would be the one grading their spelling tests and their reading tests …—Andrew Clements
Andrew Clements… these students are being graded by the instructor whose methods or information they have reason to question.—Mary Lefkowitz
Mary Lefkowitz
b
: to arrange in grades : sort
Each printing plant sends sample copies of its press run to the color lab, where they are graded for quality.—Robert Neuwirth
Robert Neuwirth
c
: to arrange in a scale or series
2
: to level off to a smooth horizontal or sloping surface
The ground should be graded to direct water flow away from the home.—Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports1
a
: to form a series
b
: blend
Notice that the mud and the sand grade into each other along the sandbar.—Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman
Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman2
: to be of a particular grade
: being, involving, or yielding domestic animals of improved but not pure stock
grade ewes
grade breeding
: walking
plantigrade
Synonyms
Examples of grade in a Sentence
Noun
The fifth grade will perform their annual play this week.
a grade of 90 percent or better
Her grades are up this semester.
an expensive grade of leather
Verb
Students will be graded on their reading ability.
She hasn't finished grading the exams.
How would you grade your meal on a scale from one to five?
The eggs are graded according to size.
Recent Examples on the WebRobin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
To his embarrassment, 13-year-old Harry was held back, placed in seventh grade with younger students.
—Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
Audiences that showed up early are leaning positive, as indicated by the B+ grade determined by survey firm Cinema Score.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024
Bardfield was a long-term substitute sixth grade teacher in the Decatur Public Schools District.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Six years later, as Kahneman was finishing first grade, the Nazis invaded France, and his family was forced to wear the yellow star that marked Jews for mass deportations to concentration camps.
—Diksha Madhok, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
That’s right, these eggs rely on the same baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction that made your papier-mâché volcano bubble over in fourth grade.
—Annie Colbert, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2024
For example, among all Milwaukee students (including some in ninth grade or higher) using vouchers to go to private schools, only 20% were proficient or advanced in English language arts, with 37% below basic.
—Alan J. Borsuk, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
The state already established requirements for the minimum number of hours districts must operate for each grade.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
But teachers should then grade students’ work themselves when looking for novelty, creativity and depth of insight.
—Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Only two other unrestored versions have ever graded higher.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Lee graded out as one of the top centers in the country the past two seasons — in 2022 at UCF and 2023 at UM.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Each rain jacket was graded on a scale of one to five (with one being the poorest performer and five being the best), and top-scoring jackets made our list.
—Olivia Avitt, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
Each accommodation was graded by husband-and-wife authors Marion and Alden Stevens on a scale from one to five stars, cementing the shorthand for top quality that’s now recognized around the world.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Minus the occasional car theft, issues with child care and some transitional bumps with the new strength and conditioning staff, the Broncos graded out well in the annual players poll, which is both anonymous and occasionally delightful.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2024
Inferred Tin Mineral Resource of 12.7 million tonnes grading 0.76% tin, containing:
213 million pounds of tin.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024
Tatjana Freund and Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 31 Mar. 2023
This pro-grade appliance isn’t WiFi compatible.
—Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2023
What makes this pro-grade laptop special?
—PCMAG, 4 Jan. 2023
Those shopping for home appliances and smart gadgets can save up to 46% off Shark robot vacuums and air purifiers up to 55% off luggage from American Tourister and Samsonite; up to 52% off Ninja appliances and bakerware; 45% off Vitamix’s pro-grade 5200 blender; and more.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2022
It’s packed with pro-grade features, and it’s built to last.
—Jess Grey, Wired, 11 Oct. 2021
For her part, Ms. Bird draws a distinction between picture books that are read to children, and mid-grade books that children often choose themselves.
—Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2023
The pro-grade controller, which touts back paddles and several other customizable features, was previously only available direct from Sony.
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Craft’s Men’s Endurance Trail Running Shoe is a pro-grade model with a full, lightweight Px Foam midsole.
—Men's Health, 21 Feb. 2023
Noun
In Virginia in 2023, Taylor’s 6-year-old son gained access to her gun and shot his first grade teacher.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
To his embarrassment, 13-year-old Harry was held back, placed in seventh grade with younger students.
—Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
Audiences that showed up early are leaning positive, as indicated by the B+ grade determined by survey firm Cinema Score.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024
Bardfield was a long-term substitute sixth grade teacher in the Decatur Public Schools District.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Six years later, as Kahneman was finishing first grade, the Nazis invaded France, and his family was forced to wear the yellow star that marked Jews for mass deportations to concentration camps.
—Diksha Madhok, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
That’s right, these eggs rely on the same baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction that made your papier-mâché volcano bubble over in fourth grade.
—Annie Colbert, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2024
For example, among all Milwaukee students (including some in ninth grade or higher) using vouchers to go to private schools, only 20% were proficient or advanced in English language arts, with 37% below basic.
—Alan J. Borsuk, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
The state already established requirements for the minimum number of hours districts must operate for each grade.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024
Verb
The couple spent $3,500 on plants, $1,000 for large rocks and boulders, $3,200 for grading, boulder installation, building the streambed, installing a drip system for irrigation, and the plants.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
But teachers should then grade students’ work themselves when looking for novelty, creativity and depth of insight.
—Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Only two other unrestored versions have ever graded higher.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Lee graded out as one of the top centers in the country the past two seasons — in 2022 at UCF and 2023 at UM.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Each rain jacket was graded on a scale of one to five (with one being the poorest performer and five being the best), and top-scoring jackets made our list.
—Olivia Avitt, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
Each accommodation was graded by husband-and-wife authors Marion and Alden Stevens on a scale from one to five stars, cementing the shorthand for top quality that’s now recognized around the world.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Minus the occasional car theft, issues with child care and some transitional bumps with the new strength and conditioning staff, the Broncos graded out well in the annual players poll, which is both anonymous and occasionally delightful.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2024
Inferred Tin Mineral Resource of 12.7 million tonnes grading 0.76% tin, containing:
213 million pounds of tin.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The at-home versions of their kits match the pro-grade options.
—Tatjana Freund and Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 31 Mar. 2023
This pro-grade appliance isn’t WiFi compatible.
—Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2023
What makes this pro-grade laptop special?
—PCMAG, 4 Jan. 2023
Those shopping for home appliances and smart gadgets can save up to 46% off Shark robot vacuums and air purifiers up to 55% off luggage from American Tourister and Samsonite; up to 52% off Ninja appliances and bakerware; 45% off Vitamix’s pro-grade 5200 blender; and more.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2022
It’s packed with pro-grade features, and it’s built to last.
—Jess Grey, Wired, 11 Oct. 2021
For her part, Ms. Bird draws a distinction between picture books that are read to children, and mid-grade books that children often choose themselves.
—Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2023
The pro-grade controller, which touts back paddles and several other customizable features, was previously only available direct from Sony.
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Craft’s Men’s Endurance Trail Running Shoe is a pro-grade model with a full, lightweight Px Foam midsole.
—Men's Health, 21 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun, Verb, and Adjective
Latin gradus step, degree, from Latin gradi to step, go; akin to Lithuanian gridyti to go, wander
Adjective combining form
French, from Latin -gradus, from gradi
First Known Use
Noun
1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1c(2)
Verb
1659, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b
Adjective
1852, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing grade
Dictionary Entries Near grade
Cite this Entry
“Grade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grade. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
grade
1 of 2 verb
graded; grading
1
: to arrange in grades : sort
grade apples
2
: to make level or evenly sloping
grade a highway
3
: to give a grade to
grade a student's performance
4
: to assign to a grade
5
: to form a series having only slight differences
colors that grade into one another
grade
2 of 2 noun1
: position in a scale of rank, quality, or order
the grade of sergeant
leather of the highest grade
2
: a stage, step, or degree in a series, order, or ranking
3
: a class of things that are of the same rank, quality, or order
4
a
: a division of the school course representing a year's work
finished the fourth grade
b
: the pupils in a school division
c
plural
: the elementary school system
teach in the grades
5
: a mark or rating especially of accomplishment in school
a grade of 90 on a test
6
: a standard of quality
government grades for meat
7
: the degree of slope (as of a road or railroad track)
Medical Definition
grade
noun
: a degree of severity of a disease or abnormal condition
a grade III carcinoma
More from Merriam-Webster on grade
Nglish: Translation of grade for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of grade for Arabic Speakers
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