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

When Brown asked to see the cache of papers, the librarian grilled her about her motives. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026

Facing a beef shortage, cooks can stretch their dollars by grilling chicken or pork instead, economists said. — Tom Polansek, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Noun

Bands perform as the peaceful crowd saunters, with the visual entertainment of beefy men cooking barbecue on giant grills. — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026

Each yurt has an expansive deck with a BBQ grill and views of the lake, perfect for a romantic getaway. — Tree Meinch, Midwest Living, 11 July 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