rating

noun

rat·​ing ˈrā-tiŋ 

1

: a classification according to grade

specifically : a military or naval specialist classification

2

chiefly British : a naval enlisted man

3

a

: relative estimate or evaluation : standing

the school has a good academic rating

b

: an estimate of an individual's or business's credit and responsibility

c

: an estimate of the percentage of the public listening to or viewing a particular radio or television program

4

: a stated operating limit of a machine expressible in power units (such as kilowatts of a direct-current generator) or in characteristics (such as voltage)

Examples of rating in a Sentence

The school has an above-average academic rating.

The article compares the fuel-economy ratings of various cars.

Recent Examples on the Web

The stock sports a relative strength (RS) rating of only 14 which is very low. —Adam Sarhan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Here’s a roundup of the restaurants that received some of the lowest ratings in June. G.O.A.T. —Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025

This legion of ordinary users fleshes out the digital landscape with ratings, reviews, and photos, collectively contributing more than 20 million pieces of information every day. —Sonya Bennett-Brandt, AFAR Media, 25 June 2025

Our expert, Tim Gideon, gave them an Excellent rating in his 2024 review, calling out how smart the audio adjustments are in real-world use. —Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rating

• approval rating
• credit rating
• Q rating
• self-rating

Rhymes for rating

• baiting
• bating
• crating
• dating
• freighting
• gating
• grating
• hating
• mating
• plaiting
• plating
• prating

Kids Definition

rating

noun

rat·​ing

ˈrāt-iŋ

: a position within a grading system

credit rating