1
as in loud
disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense
the mix of colors in that painting is terribly grating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound
with a grating voice, she croaked a feeble "hello"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in annoying
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
unintentionally or not, you say rude things that grate people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grating
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 30 Sep. 2025
Finally, use proper grating technique: press food across the surface of the greater instead of down.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
That cost can be grating over time, especially for low-income immigrants sending money back to developing countries.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grating
Adjective
The grating sound of the dial-up internet connecting is what most remember.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 30 Sep. 2025
Finally, use proper grating technique: press food across the surface of the greater instead of down.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
Verb
Finely grating the eggs and mashing everything together creates a smooth texture.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
That cost can be grating over time, especially for low-income immigrants sending money back to developing countries.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grating
Adjective
-
After a steal and dunk by Reed put UConn back up by six, Huskies coach Dan Hurley began waving his arms wildly at the fans behind his bench, exhorting them to be louder.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In order to make sure horses keep their cool among loud, unpredictable crowds, officers do desensitization training with speakers, sirens, inflatable tube men, kazoos, fireworks, flags and all manner of annoyances.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As her own doppelgänger, Red, Nyong'o is as terrifying as Adelaide is terrified, speaking with a distinctive, hoarse voice that sends a chill up your spine.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Tears have been shed, throats have been screamed hoarse.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes, rage bait can be relatively harmless – a recipe that contains disgusting food combinations or someone annoying their pet, partner or sibling.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
-
But what’s been annoying me even more is that these women should have been trained by producers to start recording on their own cell phones if drama starts to unfold after cameras go down.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Eggs may be dyed one color, with designs created by scratching the egg with a sharp tool to reveal the white eggshell beneath.—
Elaine Rewolinski,
jsonline.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Florida shooting guard Xavian Lee’s indecision culminated in a coast-to-coast sequence that ended in a head-scratching turnover instead of a potential game-winner.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There are 617 McDonald's restaurants in Ohio, according to the web scraping tool ScrapeHero.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Purée until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Unkind words and thoughts from your harshest critic (yourself) are all too common, especially for women, and their effects can diminish mood, confidence and self-esteem while positive ones can have the opposite impact.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Those forces may give the president more leverage in his negotiations, but also risk fueling Tehran's resentment and provoking a harsher response, analysts say.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As Liborio, an orphan who risked his life to cross the border and ended up living in the attic of a bookstore thanks to the kindness of the gruff owner, Chief (Eddie Marsan), the actor plays a narrator who consistently breaks the fourth wall.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As Woody Harrelson detailed Harrison Ford's accomplishments from the Actors Awards stage, the famously gruff actor seemed to squirm in his seat, somehow uncomfortable with praise even at the age of 83.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While it’s powered by retinol, an ingredient known to be irritating, this treats my under-eye with care.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grating. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
