GRATE Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

grate

verb

Definition of grate

as in to annoy

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts unintentionally or not, you say rude things that grate people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to scratch

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sled grated along the bare pavement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grit

to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound he grated the pieces of metal together

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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 grate The names are similar, the cheeses look nearly identical, and both are commonly grated over pasta, salads, soups, and more. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2026 The outer layer holds concentrated citrus oils and flavor; it is commonly grated and the resulting citrus zest added to baked goods, dressings, or cocktails. — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026 The rest are grating, like a never-ending gag about Gillian traveling with two heavy suitcases that make going up stairs difficult. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 In Japanese cuisine, ginger is grated, shredded, or pickled and often served thinly sliced with sushi. — Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grate

Verb

Part of me is annoyed that the process didn’t hand me a neat solution.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026
Taking out anger and frustration on an innocent bystander is a surefire way to annoy those around you.

— Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of annoy

Verb

In the post, Wouter was pictured wearing a dog cone, which is used to prevent pets from licking, chewing or scratching surgical sites or wounds.

— Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Sure, plastic kitchenware can be cost-effective up front, but repeatedly replacing staples that have warped, scratched, or held onto lingering odors adds up over time.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of scratch

Verb

Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
But credit Skubal for gritting it out each time, keeping the Dodgers in those three games against the Chicago Cubs, the Kansas City Royals and Brewers.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of grit

Verb

Radiological scans also confirmed lesions on the dog’s right shoulder, and Cotelo recommended an operation to scrape the excess cartilage, Shin said.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
On a map, Newfoundland is a vast, asymmetrical island, cloven by bays and inlets, semi-detached to appendages of land deformed by ancient glaciers scraping over it, leaving glacial striations, grooves and gouges on its granite face.

— Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrape

Verb

The gaps that irritate people daily are rarely the gaps that can hurt the company.

— Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
This metric is a little misleading—most bills that get introduced never go anywhere—and the claim tends to irritate Collins’s critics.

— Emma Green, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of irritate

Verb

Drain, then rub beans between fingers to remove as many skins as possible.

— Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
Hollidge and Eshaghpour were captivated by Frank’s use of straw, which becomes more or less lustrous depending on how hard it’s rubbed (bringing out the material’s natural silica) and can be dyed to achieve different hues.

— Jill Singer, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of rub

Verb

As a Bears fan, McDermott doesn’t want to disrupt the team and bug McCaskey or Warren too much.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Irwin is uncertain if the second infestation of bed bugs last weekend were ones that weren’t caught the first time, or if a person brought new bed bugs in.

— Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of bug

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grass (on)

grate

G-rated

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“Grate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grate. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grate

verb

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