1
as in annoys
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
unintentionally or not, you say rude things that grate people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grates
After seasoning the steak, Jade grates cheese as Giada stirs the pasta, accidentally dropping it into the bowl.
—
Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
This beloved Microplane zester is made from stainless steel and designed with a unique tooth set that grates hard spices, citrus, cheeses, and more as smooth as butter.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
And though Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter's dysfunctional love story still grates, corporate drama and spikes of heart drive the Paramount+ series.
—Ew Staff November 14, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
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
Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
This beloved Microplane zester is made from stainless steel and designed with a unique tooth set that grates hard spices, citrus, cheeses, and more as smooth as butter.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
And though Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter's dysfunctional love story still grates, corporate drama and spikes of heart drive the Paramount+ series.
—Ew Staff November 14, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
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
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Price's dog Chaos suffered extensive blood loss and several gashes and scratches from the bear attack.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
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Officers noted in the affidavit that the girlfriend’s injuries didn’t quite match her claims, observing a small mark on her neck, scratches on her arm and a small cut on her hand.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Every texture is an independent agent with its own membrane in the mix; percussion rubs and scrapes against your attention, while mutating synth patches burble in the periphery.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
-
The structured silhouette and clean lines feel refined without being flashy, while the durable leather withstands scrapes from branches and changing weather.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all!—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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The government no longer even bothers to disguise itself as a democracy.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The plastic bristles coax out loose hair as your cat rubs against it.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
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Expect wagyu brisket, lemon-zested ribs and rubs with hints of curry or tandoori.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 May 2026
Verb
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If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
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Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Decision speed grinds to a halt when every choice has to work its way through layers of process.—
Nick Chandi,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Sorry for the rant, but this one really grinds my gears.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
Verb
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When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grates. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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