rasp

verb

ˈrasp 

rasped; rasping; rasps

transitive verb

1

: to rub with something rough

specifically : to abrade with a rasp

2

: to grate upon : irritate

3

: to utter in a raspy tone

intransitive verb

1

: scrape

2

: to produce a grating sound

rasper noun

raspingly

ˈra-spiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of rasp

• rub
• file
• sand
• grind
• polish
• sharpen

Examples of rasp in a Sentence

“Let go of my arm,” she rasped.

The metal boxes rasped as they were dragged across the floor.

Recent Examples on the Web

The voice was faint and rasping, like the sound of pebbles raked by a wave. —Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026

When the beetle takes flight, the woman, who is busy unpacking, doesn’t realize for a moment that there’s something out of place about that rasping ruckus, that foreign hum. —María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026

Thrips have rasping, sucking mouthparts. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026

Hines and Pidgeon give the woman a choreography, the dramatic toss of the hair, the hips gone concave, the Marlboro rasp in her voice. —Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French *rasper, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German raspōn to scrape together

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for rasp

• asp
• clasp
• gasp
• grasp

Kids Definition

rasp

1 of 2 verb

ˈrasp 

1

: to rub with or as if with a rough file

rasp off a rough edge

2

: irritate sense 1

3

: to speak or say in an irritated tone

4

: to make a harsh grating sound

rasp

2 of 2 noun

1

: a coarse file with cutting points instead of lines

2

: a rasping sound or sensation