low-grade

adjective

ˈlō-ˈgrād 

1

: of inferior grade or quality

2

: being near that extreme of a specified range which is lowest, least intense, least serious, or least competent

a low-grade fever

a low-grade infection

Synonyms

• bad
• bargain-basement
• bum
• cheap
• cheapjack
• cheesy
• coarse
• common
• crappy [slang]
• cut-rate
• el cheapo
• execrable
• gimcrack
• inferior
• junky
• lousy
• low-rent
• mediocre
• miserable
• poor
• rotten
• rubbishy
• schlock
• schlocky
• shlock
• shlocky
• second-rate
• shoddy
• sleazy
• terrible
• trashy
• trumpery
• wretched

Examples of low-grade in a Sentence

plumbing fixtures that were made out of low-grade materials

Recent Examples on the Web

The five-year survival rate for low-grade appendix tumors is between 67 to 97 percent. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 10 June 2025

No vaccine is perfect, the experts said, but the risk with the Covid vaccine is extremely small and the problems like a sore arm or a low-grade fever that some of his patients have experienced resolved quickly. —Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 June 2025

Inflammation Chronic low-grade, asymptomatic inflammation is linked with aging. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025

Test results for Mark Vientos showed only a low-grade strain in his right hamstring, which requires a much shorter timeline than originally anticipated. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for low-grade

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted

Kids Definition

low-grade

adjective

ˈlō-ˈgrād

1

: of poor grade or quality

2

: being near that end of a range which is lowest, weakest, or least able

a low-grade fever

Medical Definition

low-grade

adjective

ˈlō-ˈgrād 

: being near that extreme of a specified range which is lowest, least intense, or least competent

a low-grade fever

a low-grade infection

compare high-grade