rasped; rasping; rasps
1
: to rub with something rough
specifically
: to abrade with a rasp
2
: to grate upon : irritate
3
: to utter in a raspy tone
rasper
noun
1
: a coarse file with cutting points instead of lines
2
: something used for rasping
3
a
: an act of rasping
b
: a rasping sound, sensation, or effect
Examples of rasp in a Sentence
Verb
“Let go of my arm,” she rasped.
The metal boxes rasped as they were dragged across the floor.
Noun
the rusted lock opened with a rasp
Recent Examples on the Web
Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
The reply of my friend and hunting companion was one of those quaint, rasping epithets which only a cowman can manage when everything has gone wrong.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 5 June 2025
The Chicks were really big on my radar, and Faith Hill—I was obsessed with her voice, the rasp in it.
—As Told To Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rasp
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Verb
While Mullan’s natural voice shares Shankly’s rasping quality, their inflexions are different.
—Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
The reply of my friend and hunting companion was one of those quaint, rasping epithets which only a cowman can manage when everything has gone wrong.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
Of all of Cyrus’s vocal gifts, perhaps the most pronounced is her rare ability to add a rasp to any line without ever sacrificing volume.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 5 June 2025
The Chicks were really big on my radar, and Faith Hill—I was obsessed with her voice, the rasp in it.
—As Told To Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Cite this Entry
“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rasp. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rasp
1 of 2 verb1
: to rub with or as if with a rough file
rasp off a rough edge
2
3
: to speak or say in an irritated tone
4
: to make a harsh grating sound
rasp
2 of 2 noun1
: a coarse file with cutting points instead of lines
2
: a rasping sound or sensation
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