1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction
after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
the two siblings seemed intent on rasping each other for the entire car trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to wear
to damage or diminish by continued friction
during the last ice age, glaciers rasped the surface, leaving the deeply scarred rock
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
The engine rasps and rumbles right up to the tachometer’s 7,000-rpm redline—and beyond, in fact, since peak power arrives at 7,500 rpm.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
And then Elisabeth uses it, and her spine splits open, leaving her a rasping husk of flesh while an alternate self rises, in the dewy buff, to survey her taut flesh with a clinical eye in the mirror.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Noun
Using a rasp grater such as a Microplane, finely zest the lemon into the bowl and gently toss the ingredients to combine.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
The engine rasps and rumbles right up to the tachometer’s 7,000-rpm redline—and beyond, in fact, since peak power arrives at 7,500 rpm.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Marcus Rashford’s rasping long-range strike in the eighth minute and a glaring miss from the prolific Haaland from barely two meters out.
—Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
And then Elisabeth uses it, and her spine splits open, leaving her a rasping husk of flesh while an alternate self rises, in the dewy buff, to survey her taut flesh with a clinical eye in the mirror.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
-
Without this infrastructure, every applications needs to rebuild the plumbing from scratch.—
David G.W. Birch,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
Area rugs are an excellent solution for protecting hard floors from scratches and scuffs while adding warmth and texture to your space.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
6 July 2025
Verb
-
While the two were embracing, Hughes gently rubbed Siwa's belly, fueling the pregnancy rumors.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
11 July 2025
-
That reportedly rubbed him the wrong way and paved the path for his departure from Phoenix this offseason.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
National Weather Service radar is indicated that squall bands are starting to scrape the Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida coastlines.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
-
Avoid using any type of metal tool or spatula to scrape the surface.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
Francie instantly annoys Nat by kissing Pete hello, and the two women start yelling at each other immediately.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
27 June 2025
-
If visible bulbs and cables annoy you, these aren’t for you.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
The deceased woman was also wearing a black necklace with a cross that family said belonged to DiNapoli, according to court documents.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
-
Another thing worth noting is that a lot of people complain about the rings getting scratched and showing signs of wear pretty quickly.—
Kristine Thomason,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
The dim shake of her flashlight on the wall, the creak of the floor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2025
-
Like any old building, Larkin Lodge has creaks and drafts, but Emily thinks there’s more going on.—
Gabino Iglesias,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last month seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to put the project on hold until legal wrangling is resolved.—
Dara Kam,
Sun Sentinel,
7 July 2025
-
The lawsuit was filed by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association, which represents hundreds of professors and students across the country.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
-
Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share