grind 1 of 2

noun

Definition of grindnext
1
as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the grind of ice in the blender sent the cat running from the room

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2
as in nerd
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits don't be such a grind—go out with your friends and enjoy yourself

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in effort
very hard or unpleasant work yard work is a real grind

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in routine
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity the daily grind of a 50-mile commute was getting old

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grind

2 of 2

verb

ˈgrīnd How to pronounce grind (audio)
1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction after they are ground and polished, these stones can be used for jewelry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grit
to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound everyone in the car winced when the driver ground the gears trying to shift into second

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3
as in to sharpen
to make sharp or sharper better grind down that ax before you even think about trying to cut down that tree

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure used the finest polishing paper he could to grind down the facets of the diamond before dusting it with a soft cloth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to scratch
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface ground the rock against the stone wall

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to crush
to reduce to fine particles grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun grind contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of grind are drudgery, labor, toil, travail, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When might drudgery be a better fit than grind?

In some situations, the words drudgery and grind are roughly equivalent. However, drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When would labor be a good substitute for grind?

While the synonyms labor and grind are close in meaning, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When is toil a more appropriate choice than grind?

The words toil and grind are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When could travail be used to replace grind?

The synonyms travail and grind are sometimes interchangeable, but travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

In what contexts can work take the place of grind?

The meanings of work and grind largely overlap; however, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

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 grind
Noun
There was plenty of grind to go around. —Andrew Filev, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025 The holiday grind is more merriment than misery for Al Pitrelli. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
And the lack of blockbuster cross-border tie-ups is grinding some gears within the bloc. —Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025 Stir in the chili powder, salt, paprika, and ground black pepper. —The Know, Denver Post, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind
  1. scratch
  2. nerd
  3. effort
  4. routine
  5. rub
  6. grit
  7. sharpen
  8. polish
Noun
  • The porcelain is scratch-resistant and is safe to pop into the microwave, oven, and dishwasher.
    — Toni Sutton, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • The simulations showed the effect of tiny scratches in the metal – details that don’t easily appear on other computer models.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
Definition of scratch
Noun
  • By comparison, his romantic rival Archie (Devon Bostick) is a weirdo, but a more believable one, and Bostick’s banter with Ferreira has a specific kind of romantic chemistry common to hyperintelligent, socially awkward nerds.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
  • My brother was a poet, classics scholar, and charismatic leader of nerds who blossomed into a handsome surfer and then nosedived into schizophrenia and a life of unfiltered Camel cigarettes, caffeine, and antipsychotics.
    — Kim Gordon, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of nerd
Noun
  • Jim Walden, independent candidate for New York City mayor, on Tuesday dropped out of the race while calling on other hopefuls to get behind the second-most popular choice in an effort to defeat New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.
    — Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Official parade narrators also highlighted China’s efforts focused on ensuring internet and information security.
    — Evelyn Cheng,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of effort
Noun
  • His illness has limited him to light catch play over the past few days, and the shift in plans meant some slight alterations to his routine, which Ireton ran through with club security.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Afterall, your beauty routine should grow with you—just like confidence, wisdom, and self-love.
    — Larry Stansbury, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of routine
Verb
  • Dip a paper towel or cloth in the jelly, then rub a thin layer all over the surface.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
  • And while it was expected the two sides would part ways this offseason, first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn rubbed Rodgers the wrong way after an awkward meeting between the two to discuss their future together.
    — Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of rub
Verb
  • Just over two hours east of San Diego and 15 miles north of the Mexican border town of Mexicali, El Centro has both grit and charm.
    — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Baena and Almada will be expected to add creativity, firepower, and grit to a side that already has plenty.
    — Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Definition of grit
Verb
  • From building looks piece by piece in the early days, to introducing womenswear, couture, and a cinematic sense of narrative, Keith has sharpened his process to create full worlds rather than individual outfits.
    — Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Credit rating agencies are sharpening their focus on climate vulnerability, raising questions about whether sectors or sovereigns with large protection gaps could face higher borrowing costs.
    — Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of sharpen
Verb
  • Given their stature, facilities and squad, this team is a rough diamond waiting to be polished.
    — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Plenty of brands already offer or are transitioning to TPO-free formulas that contain different photoinitiators (a chemical that ​​makes gel polishes cure under a lamp instead of air-drying like regular polish) such as TPO-L, BAPO, or other resin initiators.
    — Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of polish

Phrases Containing grind

Browse Nearby Words

grinches
grind
grind (down)
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Cite this Entry

“Grind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grind. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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