as in scraping
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in rubbing
to make smooth by friction
after they are ground and polished, these stones can be used for jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
6
as in crushing
to reduce to fine particles
grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grinding
New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025
After more than a decade grinding in the pop machine, something about Zara Larsson finally clicked this summer.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
The month-long blockade by the JNIM armed group has set off long queues at petrol stations in Bamako and other major cities, grinding economic activity to a halt.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The site included installations for processing grapes, along with cisterns used to supply water and grinding stones.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound back carried the ball 40 times for 206 yards and two scores in a grinding come-from-behind win at Regis Jesuit last week — marking his third straight game over 20 carries.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
After grinding across the eastern end of Cuba, forecasters expect Melissa to gear up for a third landfall in as many days, this time on the central and southeastern Bahamas as a Category 2.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
The lineup took off when those two hit 1-2 for six weeks with grinding at-bats to start games.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Adding peels to soups or grinding them into a powder to use in other recipes boosts nutrition and eliminates food waste.
—Cathy Cassata, Health, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
And when daily wear and tear was simulated – through continuous electric-toothbrush abrasion equivalent to about a year of brushing, as well as chewing and grinding – the teeth actually had superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared with natural enamel.
—New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025
After more than a decade grinding in the pop machine, something about Zara Larsson finally clicked this summer.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
The month-long blockade by the JNIM armed group has set off long queues at petrol stations in Bamako and other major cities, grinding economic activity to a halt.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The site included installations for processing grapes, along with cisterns used to supply water and grinding stones.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound back carried the ball 40 times for 206 yards and two scores in a grinding come-from-behind win at Regis Jesuit last week — marking his third straight game over 20 carries.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
After grinding across the eastern end of Cuba, forecasters expect Melissa to gear up for a third landfall in as many days, this time on the central and southeastern Bahamas as a Category 2.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
The lineup took off when those two hit 1-2 for six weeks with grinding at-bats to start games.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Adding peels to soups or grinding them into a powder to use in other recipes boosts nutrition and eliminates food waste.
—Cathy Cassata, Health, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinding
Adjective
-
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
Verb
-
That also includes light touch on your scalp from brushing your hair, the sensation of rubbing a blanket over your body, or feeling a breeze brush against your skin.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
-
There seemed to be little ambiguity as to the nature of their connection, as Curtis was spotted rubbing the actress' shoulders, and Aniston was later seen with her hand in his hand.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That the film introduces the possibility the missile might prove to be a dud further deepens its sense of uncertainty, sharpening the fear and chaos around the decision-making process.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Dressed in a plain baby blue spaghetti-strap top, the 31-year-old is having her glam squad ready her, meticulously curling her waist-length extensions and sharpening her cat-eye eyeliner.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At one point, convinced that one of the screenwriters who was on set polishing the script was leaking information to Weinstein, Scorsese rushed into the office and flung his desk out the window.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Venus ends its Virgo run in your communication house, polishing your words with discernment.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And that’s just scratching the surface.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
-
But the recent trip left the team scratching their heads at the sight of blue canines.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Even with that crushing blow, the totality of Hoffman’s postseason was excellent.—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Higher taxes crushing working families.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While sponges and gentle scrubbers are safe for stainless steel, do not use steel wool or abrasive scouring pads, which can leave permanent scratches.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Lanthimos’ films written with Filippou are dark, odd and abrasive, but unpredictable and anarchic in a strangely enchanting way.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Patterson, then a 20-year department veteran, entered settlement talks with the city several years after filing the lawsuit.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Others advised legal action, beginning with filing a police report.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grinding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinding. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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