grain

noun

ˈgrān How to pronounce grain (audio)
Definition of grainnext
1
as in speck
a very small piece just give me a grain of information about what to expect on the program

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in temper
one's characteristic attitude or mood cheating, even on my income taxes, goes against my grain

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 grain Newer signs taped to windows hope to stop the local wharf from becoming a corporate grain terminal. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 Rice grains should be cooked through, broken open, and creamy, but porridge should still be fairly loose. — Trinity Mouzon Wofford, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026 Spreading it on whole-grain toast adds fiber and additional protein, creating a balanced snack that keeps you full. — Brianna Tobritzhofer, HEALTH, 21 Oct. 2026 However, whole-grain versions offer fiber that supports overall health. — Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grain
  1. speck
  2. temper
  3. fleck
  4. temperament
  5. bit
  6. disposition
  7. particle
  8. attitude
Noun
  • Chips could be destroyed by even a speck of dust, so factories became impregnable clean rooms, their workers clad in bunny suits.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The source was generally in good condition, but mold spots and dense clusters of small white specks required careful treatment.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of speck
Noun
  • The king’s constitutional role can facilitate a pathway for Jamaica’s reparations petition, even as the Palace invoked constitutional limitations to temper expectations during the Caribbean royal tour.
    — Brooke N. Newman, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026
  • A shade of that temper came out in the final debate before the election.
    — Julia Terruso, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of temper
Noun
  • In addition, since all this debris is moving at orbital velocity, a fleck of paint traveling in the opposite direction to an operational satellite can hit it at a speed in excess of Mach 47.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As few as 10 cells, hidden in an infinitesimal fleck of feces, can contaminate raw milk and trigger a fatal infection.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fleck
Noun
  • Klara, whose philosophical raptures treat the Sun as a living deity and who is also capable of parroting any human’s voice or temperament on command, becomes fast friends with the girl.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Wanda, eighteen, has a temperament of supreme unflappability.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of temperament
Noun
  • That cute little feral furball was mean as hell and bit, scratched, and ultimately abandoned the family.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Toss with a fork or your hands to distribute, then knead in bowl a couple of times to bring dough together (some dry bits may remain).
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of bit
Noun
  • The dispositions of each case, along with bail recommendations, would be reported to legislative leaders.
    — Wendi C. Thomas, ProPublica, 26 Oct. 2026
  • If there aren’t personal dispositions from an ethical or medical perspective, there is no reason to completely omit any ingredient from one’s diet.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of disposition
Noun
  • The pre-filter slides out for easy upkeep, and a particle sensor provides accurate readouts of airborne particulate matter (a standard metric for measuring air quality).
    — Editors of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
  • So the scattering of the particles has a strong dependence on the substrate.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of particle
Noun
  • Cornelius’s pontificate was complicated by a schism, caused by the self-appointment of the Roman priest Novatian as antipope (the second in papal history) and by the dispute over the church’s attitude toward Christian apostates.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Cory credits his family, and especially his mom, for his positive attitude toward life.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of attitude

Phrases Containing grain

Browse Nearby Words

grails
grain
grained
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grain. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on grain

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grain

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of candidate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All