grill

1 of 2

verb

ˈgril 

grilled; grilling; grills

transitive verb

1

: to broil on a grill

also : to fry or toast on a griddle

2

a

: to torment as if by broiling

b

: to question intensely

the police grilled the suspect

griller noun

grill

2 of 2

noun

1

: a cooking utensil of parallel bars on which food is exposed to heat (as from charcoal or electricity)

2

: food that is broiled usually on a grill compare mixed grill

3

: a usually informal restaurant or dining room

Synonyms of grill

Verb

• interrogate
• question
• examine
• pump

Noun

• restaurant
• diner

Examples of grill in a Sentence

Verb

We're planning to grill some chicken and burgers at the cookout.

Her parents grilled her when she came home late.

Noun

She put the hamburgers on the grill.

headed down to the local bar and grill for a beer and a burger

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Unanswered questions Commissioners grilled lawyer Eric Singer, who was retained by the city to negotiate the interim agreement, on the developer’s high interest rate. —Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026

El Cantaro Vegan Taqueria skillfully incorporates meat alternatives into Mexican food, a cuisine known for its love of marinated and grilled meats. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026

Noun

The foundations of its low-waste approach were built by Maurice Mc Geehan (aka @thenowastechef), who consulted on equipment choices—including a charcoal grill and fermentation buckets—and techniques—such as pickling, fermentation, and creating powders from leftover ingredients. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

The Happy Hour Guys met five times a week for almost a decade at a bar and grill in Metro Detroit until the pandemic. —Julia Avant, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French gril, from Old French greil, from Latin craticulum — more at griddle entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grill

• mixed grill

Rhymes for grill

• bill
• brill
• chill
• drill
• fil
• fill
• frill
• gill
• grille
• jill
• kill
• krill

Kids Definition

grill

1 of 2 verb

ˈgril 

1

: to broil on a grill

2

a

: to torment as if by broiling

b

: to question with repeated questions

grill

2 of 2 noun

1

: a grate on which food is broiled

2

: broiled food

3

: a restaurant that serves broiled foods