grates

present tense third-person singular of grate
1
2
as in scratches
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sled grated along the bare pavement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in grits
to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound he grated the pieces of metal together

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 grates Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects. Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grates
Verb
  • This annoys his wife, who hankers after Bingley (sight unseen) as a future son-in-law.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Light scratches in just the poly can be remedied with a 'restoring' product like Rejuvenate.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
  • An elevator pitch barely scratches the surface.
    Gina Riley, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In New York, there’s no worry; no one bothers us.
    Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • As the moon clashes with Mars, a partner’s behavior rubs you the wrong way.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Lenker, in plaid, rubs her eyes; James Krivchenia leans forward, sparky and alert; Meek, outdoors in the Topanga sunshine, wears cycling glasses and a frowzy hat.
    Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The spiral layer also provides a deeper exfoliation that scrapes off dead cells, resulting in smoother, silkier skin.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2025
  • The awfulness of it scrapes my veins, turning everything orange and raw.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • During his appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast alongside his The Roses costar Olivia Colman, the 49-year-old actor opened up about what irritates his family members.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The news irritates Lord Lovat, knowing that if the MacKenzie brothers thought Ellen had run off with Malcom Grant, and Dougal (Sam Retford) was dumb enough to beat Malcom as a result, there has to be a moral lapse in judgment somewhere.
    Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • As the summer season grinds to a near halt, several holdover titles rounded out the top five.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 24 Aug. 2025
  • As Russia’s war machine grinds forward in eastern Ukraine, there is another offensive being waged far beyond the front line.
    Rachel Wilson, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.
    Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grates. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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