rasp 1 of 2

Definition of raspnext
as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the rusted lock opened with a rasp

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rasp

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters

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2
as in to scratch
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe

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3
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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 rasp
Noun
Kirbi, that rasp is so beautiful at the top of your register. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2025 Her strong, confident country voice shone through immediately in her performance of this Judds song, with just enough rasp to really give it some edge. Andy Swift, TVLine, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
She’s preoccupied though, training a gun on the facility’s head officer, Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), whose RFK Jr. rasp and licentious focus on Perfidia sets him up as a comedic draw and a convincing picture of America’s sanctioned white violence. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025 Cody Gapko struck the post three times — once with a deflected cross, twice with rasping drives — while Senne Lammens saved Alexander Isak’s shot with an outstretched right foot. Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
  • The original nine-horse field for the Derby was reduced to six due to the scratches of Albus, Redland Rebels and Gregarious.
    Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Meanwhile, in Japan, researchers are having success with their quest to grow hair follicles from scratch in a lab.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • And maybe the biggest reason these proposals rub people the wrong way is timing.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Just to rub it in, Horan, now aged 32, has a pub at his home.
    Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In another part of the factory, a worker used a wooden stick, like a tongue compressor at a doctor’s office, to scrape excess bits of explosive out of the grooves inside each shell, ensuring that the base would screw on smoothly.
    Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
  • There are 617 McDonald's restaurants in Ohio, according to the web scraping tool ScrapeHero.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The platform’s staff has seemed minorly annoyed at the shots Denk and others at Beehiiv have taken as Substack has moved from disruptor to incumbent.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
  • One who grew up respectful but annoyed by the success the league previously had in Seattle.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Cops are searching for multiple suspects wearing ski masks last seen fleeing the scene on foot.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • He was last seen wearing a denim shirt and jeans.
    Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In the opening moments, Loznitsa, working with the Romanian cinematographer Oleg Mutu, plants the camera before the prison gates, which open with a loud creak, allowing a fresh batch of emaciated arrivals to shuffle into a work yard.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The Freight House building creaks and moans underfoot, and passing trains produce little more than a subtle hum.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Herrera filed an appeal Thursday to the Kansas State Supreme Court, according to court documents.
    Noelle Alviz-Gransee March 29, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2026
  • There are currently no criminal allegations against Mortensen, who filed a temporary restraining order against Paul and was granted temporary full custody of their 2-year-old son, Ever.
    Angela Yang, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Chandler Zavala has been fighting the injury bug his whole career.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The cost of it, however, is boots and bug repellent.
    Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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