gravel

noun grav·el \ ˈgra-vəl \

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Examples: gravel in a Sentence

Definition of gravel

1 obsolete : sand

2 a : loose rounded fragments of rock

b : a stratum or deposit of gravel; also : a surface covered with gravel

a gravel road

3 : small calculi in the kidneys and urinary bladder

See gravel defined for English-language learners

See gravel defined for kids

Recent Examples of gravel from the Web

Inside, the toilet bowl appeared to be filled with gravel and mud.

— keith bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "83-year-old veteran bought house for grandson, who struggled with drugs: 'I was scammed'," 28 June 2018
The parking lot might be repaired if workers dug a swimming-pool sized hole to remove all the frozen soil and then replaced it with gravel.

— ned rozell, Anchorage Daily News, "Warming in the north continues as predicted," 23 June 2018
The plan calls for covering mine waste piles and contaminated soil with gravel or plant growth to reduce human exposure and keep the contaminants from being kicked into the air.

— dan elliott, The Christian Science Monitor, "EPA announces plan to clean up Colorado mines," 15 June 2018
All-wheel drive provides extra traction on gravel or dirt roads and in inclement weather.

— will kaufman, edmunds, USA TODAY, "Comparing sport wagons: Edmunds looks at Subaru Outback and Buick Regal TourX," 1 June 2018
Approaching Point Reyes First smooth gravel and then pavement, the trail snakes through the forests of Samuel Taylor State Park, staying relatively flat among the steep hills on either side.

— brian coyne, San Francisco Chronicle, "Biking along Marin’s old North Pacific Coast Railroad," 17 May 2018
Rust, gravel and the occasional puddle of hydraulic fluid are all part of the scenery, and the soundtrack is guaranteed to be esoteric.

— New York Times, "In Charleston, Beer Gets Its Own Neighborhood," 25 Apr. 2018
Nearby, children played in the gravel of the memorial — designed to resemble a train station that would have taken Jews to death camps in Germany and Austria.

— christina tkacik, baltimoresun.com, "'Protect the children': Protesters rally at ICE office in Baltimore against separation of families at border," 20 June 2018
Mengiste turns to walk along a gravel path flanked by beds of fresh herbs and pineapple guava bushes in bloom.

— harriot manley, SFChronicle.com, "Yountville’s Bardessono resort still deeply green — just less vocal about it," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gravel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of gravel

Middle English, from Anglo-French gravele, diminutive of grave, greve river bank, stony ground

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

gravel

verb

Definition of gravel

graveled or gravelled; graveling or gravelling play \ˈgrav-liŋ, ˈgra-və-\

transitive verb

1 : to cover or spread with gravel

2 a : perplex, confound

b : irritate, nettle

disappointed … and graveled him a good deal
—Mark Twain

Examples of gravel in a Sentence

managed to gravel his opponent in the debate by focusing on atypical examples

Recent Examples of gravel from the Web

Reaching the stadium from the baseball offices is a circuitous route that takes you in one door and then out of another in State’s indoor football facility, down a steep, unleveled sidewalk and through a dusty, graveled-covered work site.

— ross dellenger, SI.com, "How Mississippi State Baseball Turned a Season That Began in Humiliation Into a Trip to Omaha," 15 June 2018
This practice begs the question: would gravel make sense in some of the areas off the path of the driveway?

— jeff lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, "Here’s what to do with all that sand and gravel left behind now that the snow has melted," 3 May 2018
For developers, Davis says, the upfront cost of the seeds and planting is offset in the long term by lower maintenance costs—no turf to mow or gravel erosion to manage.

— National Geographic, "Beekeepers Sweeten Solar Sites With the 'Tesla of Honey'," 24 June 2017

First Known Use of gravel

1543

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

gravel

adjective

Definition of gravel

: gravelly 2 —used of the human voice

Examples of gravel in a Sentence

after his bout with laryngitis, he had a terribly gravel voice

First Known Use of gravel

1939

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

gravel Synonyms

GRAVEL Defined for English Language Learners

gravel

noun

Definition of gravel for English Language Learners

: small pieces of rock

GRAVEL Defined for Kids

gravel

noun grav·el \ ˈgra-vəl \

Definition of gravel for Students

: small pieces of rock and pebbles larger than grains of sand

Medical Dictionary

gravel

noun grav·el \ ˈgrav-əl \

medical Definition of gravel

1 : a deposit of small calculous concretions in the kidneys and urinary bladder — compare microlith

2 : the condition that results from the presence of deposits of gravel

Learn More about gravel

See words that rhyme with gravel Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gravel Spanish Central: Translation of gravel Nglish: Translation of gravel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gravel for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gravel

Seen and Heard

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gravel

Definition of gravel

Recent Examples of gravel from the Web

Origin and Etymology of gravel

Other Geology Terms

gravel

Definition of gravel

Examples of gravel in a Sentence

Recent Examples of gravel from the Web

First Known Use of gravel

gravel

Definition of gravel

Examples of gravel in a Sentence

First Known Use of gravel

gravel Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

GRAVEL Defined for English Language Learners

gravel

Definition of gravel for English Language Learners

GRAVEL Defined for Kids

gravel

Definition of gravel for Students

Medical Dictionary

gravel

medical Definition of gravel

Learn More about gravel

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