GRINDING Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

grinding 1 of 2

adjective

as in scraping

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grinding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of grind

as in rubbing

to make smooth by friction after they are ground and polished, these stones can be used for jewelry

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as in gritting

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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as in sharpening

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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as in polishing

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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as in scratching

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface ground the rock against the stone wall

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as in crushing

to reduce to fine particles grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee

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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 grinding

Verb

This is where many people confuse perseverance with grinding. — Jj Mazzo, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 As the midterms drag on with a sense of grinding doom for Republicans, all that might be too conceptual for a younger generation of conservatives hungry to see a far-right takeover of the party. — Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026 Most are somewhere between the size of a golf ball and a fist, and their only real feature is a malevolent-looking mouth armed with five overlapping teeth for grinding and shearing kelp. — Joseph Ogilvy, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026 Nowadays, machinery like edge polishers make calibration, grinding, shaping and beveling possible with great ease and high-pressure waterjet cutting and polishing systems used for complex contours and sensitive materials. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026 The result can slim the lower face and ease clenching, grinding and TMJ pain. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026 For decades, junior accountants learned their trade by reconciling accounts, manually entering data, and grinding through the month-end close. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 This innovation—the mass manufacture of ammonia, vastly more efficient than scraping guano off remote islands or grinding mountains of bison bones—removed the most critical nutrient bottleneck in global agriculture. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 Peanut powder is made by removing much of the oil from peanuts before grinding them. — Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinding

Adjective

If Google can amend its complaint to argue that rights holders directly authorized Google to use its anti-scraping technology to prevent unauthorized access to content, then Google may be able to block a very limited amount of SerpApi’s scraping.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026
Recently, internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare likened the platform to North Korean hackers for bypassing anti-scraping protections on websites.

— PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2025

Definition of scraping

Verb

Oh, and a pad from an HTC Vive, because nobody wants the sharp edges of layered plastic extruded from a 3D printer rubbing against their face.

— Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Some of the more envelope-pushing moments, including an extended scene of nuns ripping off their habits and rubbing themselves on a life-sized crucifix, were in the script.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubbing

Verb

And those options extend well beyond a binary choice between taking an opioid and gritting your teeth.

— Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 26 Oct. 2026
Red flag The Dodgers still don’t know what to reasonably expect from Ohtani, gritting out the postseason despite discomfort in his left knee and right arm.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of gritting

Verb

Israeli and American leaders have been sharpening their threats before elections in both countries, while Iranian leaders have remained defiant.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
The holiday capsule arrives at a time when Net-a-porter has been sharpening its focus on product, service and storytelling under chief executive officer Heather Kaminetsky.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of sharpening

Verb

Nowadays, machinery like edge polishers make calibration, grinding, shaping and beveling possible with great ease and high-pressure waterjet cutting and polishing systems used for complex contours and sensitive materials.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Almost all of them seemed empty, like houses closed for the season, but a handful had signs of life—crewmen at the railings, polishing the brightwork, as if getting ready to leave.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of polishing

Verb

Lee is forever grunting and scratching and clearing his throat.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
People are advised to watch for signs of rodent activity including droppings, gnaw marks, scratching or scurrying sounds and rub marks along baseboards or around entry points.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado Updated October 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of scratching

Verb

Miami responded with an 80-yard drive to retake their lead, 24-21, but UNC continued to fight on while crushing clock heading into the fourth quarter.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
For working people, patient care coordinators and families who rely on this crossing for their daily commutes, this toll is a crushing financial burden rather than a solution to traffic.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of crushing

Adjective

Newport Beach dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, MD, warned New Beauty against harsh scrubs and abrasive cleansing tools, which strip the barrier and can worsen acne.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Dummy’s third full-length release tasks itself with offering an affirmation of life, spelled out in no uncertain terms through the thwack of DnB drumlines, abrasive distortion, and incisive songwriting.

— Sue Park, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026