grating

1 of 2

noun

grat·​ing ˈgrā-tiŋ 

1

: a wooden or metal lattice used to close or floor an opening

2

: a partition, covering, or frame of parallel bars or crossbars

3

: a system of close equidistant and parallel lines or bars ruled on a polished surface to produce spectra by diffraction

grating

2 of 2

adjective

: causing irritation or annoyance

a grating habit

It's not just that the interruptions themselves are grating to watch: what's worse is the hostilities they create.

—Heather Schwedel

often : having a harsh or unpleasant sound

a grating voice/accent

If you just imagined that last quote spoken in Gottfried's grating, obnoxious yelling, that's now how you would hear him on the phone.

—Blake Hannon

The truck braked noisily with a grating shriek of steel.

—Mildred D. Taylor

gratingly adverb

a gratingly harsh sound

Something in Orcutt's proprietary manner had irritated her at that first meeting, something she found gratingly egotistical in his expansive courtesy …

—Philip Roth

Synonyms of grating

Adjective

• loud
• harsh
• grotesque
• jarring
• ugly

Examples of grating in a Sentence

Adjective

the mix of colors in that painting is terribly grating

with a grating voice, she croaked a feeble "hello"

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

According to Rai Italia, her partner recalled that crew members instructed them to enter the water after climbing through a metal grating, and the two became separated during the escape. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

Its advanced traction control and adaptive gait algorithms enable secure movement across slippery, loose, or shifting surfaces, including gravel, sand, wet metal grating, and cluttered factory floors. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 June 2026

Adjective

In lesser hands, Diablo Cody’s Rolodex of quirky zingers could come across more grating than endearing. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 July 2026

But her voice in the actual album mixes is less grating than the singles’ mixes imply, and the lyrics understand what’s cool and also overbearing about her overarching persona. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1563, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing grating

• diffraction grating

Rhymes for grating

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

Kids Definition

grating

noun

grat·​ing

ˈgrāt-iŋ

1

: a frame of parallel bars or crossbars

2

: a transparent surface that is ruled with a series of very closely spaced parallel lines or bars and is used to produce spectra by the diffraction of light

Medical Definition

grating

noun

grat·​ing ˈgrāt-iŋ 

: a system of close equidistant and parallel lines or bars ruled on a polished surface to produce spectra by diffraction

called also diffraction grating