grind 1 of 2

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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grind

2 of 2

verb

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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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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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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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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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
Mamdani spoke for roughly eight minutes in a fiery speech about the history of the team, the grind to the championship, the heartbreaking seasons and the perseverance necessary to finally bring a title to New York after 53 years. Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026 Coffee is made with a coarser grind, and the water flows through those beans under less force. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2026
Verb
Be sure to remove the wood chip and soil mix down to the bottom of the hole left by the grinding process. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 Road blockades have caused shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies in parts of the country and ground the economy to a halt over the past 50 days. Helen Regan, CNN Money, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind
Noun
  • These thin sheets of lead containing scratches of supernatural desires were used to sway a court case, target a rival, or even a lover, as per Archaeology News.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
  • Different cabinet materials require specific cleaning methods to avoid scratches or dull finishes.
    Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • Hunter Pence, a nerd at heart, spent money from his first paycheck to buy himself a gaming computer to play World of Warcraft.
    Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 24 June 2026
  • Design and photography nerds will appreciate the book’s beautiful layout, fun use of color, and stunning images; but this is, crucially, not the kind of book made just to look at.
    Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • A bit of a surprise here, as the Warriors were reportedly shopping the 11th pick in an effort to bolster their roster with a win-now player.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 24 June 2026
  • The search stems from a years-long effort by authorities to revisit information connected to Mansfield, whose family lived on Centerwood Avenue in Hernando County.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Virgo August 23 – September 22 Friends bring ideas that test your routines.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2026
  • August 23 – September 22 Friends bring ideas that test your routines.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • But the quiet-part-out-loud here is that the Duffer Brothers ditching Netflix for a four-year deal at Paramount seems to have rubbed high-ranking Netflix executives the wrong way, the first source told THR.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026
  • According to police, Foulke, Acrey and Millevoix encountered a man and woman waiting for a ride-share outside when one of the three rubbed their knuckles across a man's head.
    Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Then the coach known as the most impulsive man on an NFL sideline runs that stop sign, grits his teeth and breaks unbound into character.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • When my grandchildren were around recently, Marie was gritting her teeth because her nerves were so frayed.
    Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • These brief activity breaks — also known as exercise snacks — not only fight the effects of sitting still for too long but also have been shown to improve blood flow, protect your heart and sharpen your focus.
    Dana Santas, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
  • But events in students’ lifetimes also played a role in sharpening their opinions.
    Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • For dressier occasions, platform sandals like Martha Stewart's go-to style offer comfort, support, and polish all in one.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • Through processing that polishes the individual wool fibers, the technology allows wool to have more luster, a softer hand feel, drape and elastic recovery.
    Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Grind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grind. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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