Synonyms of grating

grating 1 of 2

adjective

1

as in loud

disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense

the mix of colors in that painting is terribly grating

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loud
• harsh
• grotesque
• jarring
• ugly
• unpleasant
• disgusting
• unaesthetic
• acid
• unpleasing
• tawdry
• gaudy
• garish
• repulsive
• tacky
• bizarre
• tasteless
• flashy
• inartistic
• disagreeable
• odd
• vulgar
• uncouth
• dissonant
• crude
• jolting
• inelegant
• repugnant
• artless
• clumsy
• raucous
• obscene
• raspy
• uncultured
• unrefined
• gross
• unmusical
• ragged
• rude
• inharmonious
• shocking
• outlandish
• blaring
• off-key
• discordant
• unmelodious
• disharmonious
• clashing
• unartistic
• kinky
• jangling
• graceless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• aesthetic
• artistic
• attractive
• becoming
• beautiful
• artful
• appealing
• good
• agreeable
• pleasing
• harmonious
• soothing
• comforting
• felicitous
• softened
• comely
• subdued
• polished
• refined
• elegant
• seemly
• harmonizing
• cultured
• graceful
• gracious
• calming
• tasteful

2

as in hoarse

harsh and dry in sound

with a grating voice, she croaked a feeble "hello"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hoarse
• gruff
• husky
• coarse
• rusty
• gravelly
• rasping
• gravel
• raspy
• scratchy
• throaty
• croaky
• croaking
• abrasive
• grinding
• scraping
• strained
• scratching
• growling
• choked
• guttural
• jarring
• cracked
• strangled
• strident
• cacophonous
• rough
• raucous
• discordant
• growly
• dissonant
• screeching
• squawking
• unmusical
• inharmonious
• cawing
• unmelodious

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• liquid
• sweet
• gentle
• soothing
• golden
• mellow
• mellifluous
• tender
• smooth
• soft
• silken
• velvety
• musical
• gliding
• mellifluent
• satiny
• melodic
• melodious
• lyric
• lyrical
• euphonious

grating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of grate

1

as in annoying

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

• annoying
• irritating
• bothering
• bugging
• persecuting
• aggravating
• getting
• eating
• exasperating
• rasping
• griping
• infuriating
• nettling
• spiting
• frosting
• vexing
• worrying
• galling
• chafing
• burning (up)
• riling
• irking
• itching
• ruffling
• getting to
• teasing
• insulting
• wearing on
• narking
• hacking (off)
• peeving
• putting out
• angering
• plaguing
• piquing
• provoking
• nagging
• sticking in one's craw
• heckling
• rubbing the wrong way
• offending
• getting on one's nerves
• harassing
• setting one's teeth on edge
• getting one's goat
• upsetting
• enraging
• unsettling
• rousing
• agitating
• hassling
• maddening
• badgering
• distressing
• perturbing
• antagonizing
• disquieting
• baiting
• incensing
• harrying
• inflaming
• pestering
• roiling
• discomforting
• unhinging
• rankling
• exercising
• affronting
• bullyragging
• fretting
• outraging
• deviling
• undoing
• hagriding
• discomposing
• freaking (out)
• miffing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• placating
• appeasing
• obliging
• gratifying
• satisfying
• pleasing
• conciliating
• pacifying
• mollifying
• comforting
• propitiating
• soothing
• reassuring
• delighting
• cheering
• assuring
• quieting
• consoling
• contenting
• gladdening
• solacing

2

as in scratching

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

the sled grated along the bare pavement

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratching
• scraping
• grinding
• rubbing
• rasping
• whining
• groaning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sliding
• gliding
• skating

3

as in scraping

to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound

he grated the pieces of metal together

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scraping
• gritting
• scratching
• grinding
• crunching
• creaking
• gnashing
• groaning
• whining
• moaning
• scrunching
• clashing
• jarring
• colliding
• rasping
• jangling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of grating

Adjective

His behavior was so grating that even host Rece Davis, the normally stoic straightman, got into a shouting match with Kiper. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026

Anything that was grating, cloying, or that took any amount of patience to appreciate was not for me (this year, at least). — Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025

Verb

The performance itself grows increasingly grating as the runtime drags on, particularly when Johnny’s scene partners overpower him by connecting deeper and doing less. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 May 2026

For longer-lasting effects, consider grating the soap a few weeks in advance, storing it in a paper bag in a cool, dry, and ventilated place before using it. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026