Synonyms of grinds

grinds 1 of 2

noun

plural of grind

1

as in scratches

a harsh grating sound

the grind of ice in the blender sent the cat running from the room

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratches
• scrapes
• creaks
• rasps
• clashes
• screeches
• jars
• clangs
• clanks
• jangles
• blasts
• croaks
• gargles
• scuffs
• brays
• bleats
• clangors

2

as in nerds

a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits

don't be such a grind—go out with your friends and enjoy yourself

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nerds
• geeks
• weenies
• swots
• dinks
• wonks
• bookworms
• scholars
• brains
• dorks
• highbrows
• intellectuals
• geniuses
• double-domes
• academics
• gearheads
• bookmen
• techies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slackers
• underachievers
• goldbricks
• lowbrows
• goof-offs

3

as in sweats

very hard or unpleasant work

yard work is a real grind

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sweats
• toils
• efforts
• labors
• fatigues
• pains
• struggles
• drudges
• exertions
• slaveries
• drudgeries
• travails
• troubles
• donkeyworks
• moils
• responsibilities
• jobs
• duties
• obligations
• chores
• spadeworks
• treadmills
• tediums
• routines

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• plays
• rests
• eases
• fun
• reposes
• relaxations
• sports
• diversions
• amusements
• dalliances
• entertainments
• recreations
• inertias
• decompressions
• leisures
• inactivities
• dormancies

4

as in routines

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• routines
• ruts
• grooves
• drills
• patterns
• habits
• rotes
• locksteps
• treadmills
• methods
• techniques
• practices
• strategies
• traditions
• programs
• procedures
• approaches
• tacks
• plans
• regimens
• tricks
• customs
• styles
• housekeepings
• manners
• policies
• daily dozens
• wonts
• schemes
• fashions
• designs
• ways
• conventions

grinds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grind

1

as in rubs

to make smooth by friction

after they are ground and polished, these stones can be used for jewelry

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rubs
• sharpens
• sands
• files
• hones
• scrapes
• polishes
• buffs
• rasps
• smooths
• planes
• scours
• shines
• burnishes
• edges
• sandblasts
• whets
• glosses
• regrinds
• dresses
• strops

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coarsens
• roughens
• scuffs
• roughs (up)

2

as in grits

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

• grits
• scrapes
• crunches
• scratches
• groans
• creaks
• gnashes
• whines
• grates
• moans
• scrunches
• clashes
• collides
• jars
• rasps
• jangles

3

as in sharpens

to make sharp or sharper

better grind down that ax before you even think about trying to cut down that tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sharpens
• stones
• whets
• edges
• hones
• files
• strops

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dulls
• blunts
• smooths
• rounds
• glosses
• polishes
• burnishes
• buffs

4

as in smooths

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

• rubs
• smooths
• polishes
• shines
• burnishes
• scrapes
• coats
• scrubs
• glosses
• smoothens
• dresses
• buffs
• sands
• furbishes
• finishes
• bobs
• faces
• glazes
• files
• brightens
• slicks
• bones
• varnishes
• scours
• sleeks
• lacquers
• veneers
• sandpapers
• sandblasts
• rasps
• laps
• japans

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ruffles
• roughens
• roughs (up)
• scuffs (up)

5

as in scrapes

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

ground the rock against the stone wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratches
• scrapes
• rubs
• grates
• groans
• whines
• rasps

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slides
• glides
• skates

6

as in pounds

to reduce to fine particles

grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pounds
• crushes
• beats
• disintegrates
• pulverizes
• mills
• crumbles
• powders
• mulls
• atomizes
• smashes
• grates
• brays
• breaks
• comminutes
• shatters
• fractures
• crunches
• fragments
• kibbles
• dashes
• splinters
• busts
• micronizes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of grinds

Noun

Tableside dishes are a highlight, including a seasonal classic Greek salad and mouthwatering whole branzino baked in a coffee-grinds and sea-salt crust, then expertly deboned and served to perfection. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, chives, dill and garlic powder; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. — Emily Weinstein, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026

Skaters ages 6-11 showed off their nose grinds, kickflips and wall rides to an enthusiastic early crowd. — Tony Le Calvez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

This is perfect for a small household that just needs enough grinds for one pot of coffee at a time. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026

After using your coffee maker, clean the basin where the grinds go as well as the coffee pot using warm, soapy water. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026

Finish with a few grinds of black pepper and serve. — Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026

Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and several grinds of fresh pepper. — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2026

The base of the ski will be prepared with various grinds that respond to various snow conditions. — ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026

Verb

The Food Processor quickly chops, slices, and shreds a wide array of ingredients for unlimited culinary creations, while the Coffee & Spice Grinder efficiently grinds coffee beans, spices, and herbs for superior flavor and potency. — ABC News, 22 June 2026

With a range of 50 to 300 kilometers, the drones, all made in Ukraine, are designed to throttle the Russian army’s logistics – adding a new dimension of strikes to Ukraine’s strategy as the war grinds through its fifth year. — Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 20 June 2026

Decision speed grinds to a halt when every choice has to work its way through layers of process. — Nick Chandi, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Sorry for the rant, but this one really grinds my gears. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026

Earth grinds to a standstill, with everyone glued to their screens as news anchors around the world react in real time to the shocking evidence. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

At The Happy Crane, Parry gives the char siu treatment to rich Iberico pork jowl, steams and grinds his own rice for the crab rice roll, and tosses Monterey abalone and Jimmy Nardello peppers into a smoking wok with XO sauce. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026

Not necessarily that the basketball becomes easier, but each minute is so tense, both teams are so focused and each possession is so tight that the winner is often decided by which team — or player — can execute when the game grinds to a halt. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 June 2026

To craft the burger, the team coarsely grinds — twice — the leftover pieces of meat and fat trimmed from either a brisket or shoulder clod, then forms 8-ounce-thick patties, which are rolled in a housemade all-purpose rub and 16-mesh pepper and smoked for two hours. — Sam Flemming, AJC.com, 20 May 2026