grind 1 of 6

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

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verb (1)

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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6

grind (down)

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verb (2)

as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress the workers are being ground down by the long work hours which leave them little time for anything else

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grind (out)

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verb (3)

grinding

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adjective

grinding

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verb (4)

present participle of grind
1
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

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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
5
as in scratching
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

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
But the tide appears with the customized and the automated, toward the machines that will crank and away from the creative minds that only grind, in the process enabling OpenAI to massively disrupt the entertainment industry. Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2025 In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, the balsamic vinegar, honey, water, garlic, a pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
Stop participating in bad habits that worsen the pain, such as nail biting, chewing on the lips or cheeks, or clenching or grinding your teeth. Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2025 Simultaneously fresh and classically nostalgic, the feel-good fete of decades past bumps, halts, and grinds. Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
With the prior landscaping experience, he was assigned outdoor duties ranging from climbing onto the roof to clean gutters, to scraping sediment from a parking lot, laying pine straw, and grinding paint from a stairwell. John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 The Aggies play grinding, slugging basketball and will surely force a Saturday night rock fight. Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind
Noun
  • Meanwhile, launching a business from scratch is riskier but results in the potential for innovation and long-term scalability.
    Raheel Sheikh, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • True to their TikTok reputation, every element—including the brioche buns—is made from scratch.
    Elise Taylor, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • He’s also been transformed into a stereotypical, lightsaber-brandishing nerd with a wardrobe of wacky T-shirts.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The guys who were the heads of the club were track kids; fit, secret nerds.
    Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Such efforts have already led to the restoration of funding in Republican districts following federal cuts that impacted farmers and rural areas.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The team hopes that the discovery showing the ancient human connection to great bustards spurs more conservation efforts to keep this population from going extinct.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • How to Clean to Remove Allergens When pollen counts are high, a new (and more frequent) cleaning routine can help ensure your home remains a safe haven.
    Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Every little element of his pre-race routine and preparations with his trainer, Aleix Casanovas, is getting more refined.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Cover and help protect minor wounds, cuts, scrapes and burns with BAND-AID Brand Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages featuring details from artworks by Katsushika Hokusai in The Met collection.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Without guardrails, these systems scrape, remix, and reproduce sacred imagery, ceremonial language, and ancestral designs — usually without consent or context.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Tapping into the geek chic aesthetic, the star completed the look with a pair of black trousers held up by red, white and blue suspenders supported by her shoulders.
    Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Flamboyant theater geek Ezra (Matthew Finlan) makes his shrieks sound especially dramatic.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Trying to manage them can feel like a daily battle, and that doesn't take into account the manual labor that goes into pulling them by hand.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The day continues with tending the land, caring for the animals, milking the sheep and goats and preparing the food and goods from our labor.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • There’s no shortage of food travel shows, but few have found their groove quite like Stanley Tucci.
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • But Carrasco quickly found a groove, retiring 14 of the next 15 Royals.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Grind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grind. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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