sandpaper

1 of 2

noun

sand·​pa·​per ˈsan(d)-ˌpā-pər 

: paper covered on one side with abrasive material (such as sand) glued fast and used for smoothing and polishing

sandpapery

ˈsan(d)-ˌpā-p(ə-)rē 

adjective

sandpaper

2 of 2

verb

sandpapered; sandpapering; sandpapers

transitive verb

: to rub with or as if with sandpaper

Examples of sandpaper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sara Aparacio, a resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow, equates scrubbing an appliance with an abrasive sponge to rubbing it with very fine sandpaper. —Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026

Use a power sander with 60- to 80-grit sandpaper and work in the direction of the wood grain. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026

Verb

As early as 1891, a Norwegian geologist reported deposits of a similar age along the shores of a fjord in northeastern Norway that had striations—those long grooves that form when glacial ice sandpapers the ground beneath it. —Laura Poppick july 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025

But that was back when the team drafted well enough and the greatest quarterback of all time was able to sandpaper over their misses. —Chad Graff, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1755, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sandpaper

• newspaper
• notepaper
• skyscraper
• wallpaper
• wastepaper
• caper
• paper
• raper
• scraper
• shaper
• taper
• vapor

Kids Definition

sandpaper

1 of 2 noun

sand·​pa·​per -ˌpā-pər 

: paper with rough material (as sand) glued on one side and used for smoothing and polishing

sandpaper

2 of 2 verb

: to rub with or as if with sandpaper