1
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sweats
very hard or unpleasant work
yard work is a real grind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
3
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
6
as in pounds
to reduce to fine particles
grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of grinds
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
Don’t put corn husks, coffee grinds, onion peels, peach pits, eggshells, bones, vegetable peels, meat scraps, grease and large amounts of pasta down the drain.
—Jessica Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
This is because the amount of coffee that can fit in a volumetric measuring tool like a tablespoon can vary with different grinds.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 2026
Water is drawn up through the grinds via the food-grade tubing and centrifugally extracted to yield a 12-oz (355-ml) serving of cold brew coffee in five minutes.
—Shirl Leigh
january 22, New Atlas, 22 Jan. 2026
Upgrade your movie marathons, gaming grinds, and Sunday chill sessions with this gorgeous 50 inch Hisense 4K Smart TV.
—PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025
It’s finished with a generous sprinkling of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Dan Mangan,garrett Downs,leslie Josephs,holly Ellyatt,chloe Taylor,sam Meredith,azhar Sukri,anniek Bao,kevin Breuninger,lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
But by the start of this season, our young capitalists have been flung further afield into new jobs and new places that stir up a vague sense of menace even before the actual danger of the plot grinds into action.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Feb. 2026
The number of technicians who prepare hundreds of skis with special waxes and grinds to ensure the best glide for the day during World Cup, World Championship and Olympic events.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Nothing grinds my gears like shopping for luxury fashion pieces, only to learn that the fabric is made of cheap material (insert crying emoji).
—Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people.
—Kamila Hrabchuk, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
This week’s strikes came as the conflict grinds through its fourth winter, plunging cities into prolonged energy blackouts while temperatures dip well below freezing and are forecast to drop further.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
But Kingstown grinds him up through the prison riots, through being fired from his job to accidentally being responsible for the death of his mother.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
Don’t put corn husks, coffee grinds, onion peels, peach pits, eggshells, bones, vegetable peels, meat scraps, grease and large amounts of pasta down the drain.
—Jessica Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
This is because the amount of coffee that can fit in a volumetric measuring tool like a tablespoon can vary with different grinds.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 2026
Water is drawn up through the grinds via the food-grade tubing and centrifugally extracted to yield a 12-oz (355-ml) serving of cold brew coffee in five minutes.
—Shirl Leigh
january 22, New Atlas, 22 Jan. 2026
Upgrade your movie marathons, gaming grinds, and Sunday chill sessions with this gorgeous 50 inch Hisense 4K Smart TV.
—PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025
It’s finished with a generous sprinkling of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
The dramatic move comes as shipping traffic grinds to an effective halt in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, amid fears of prolonged disruption to global trade.
—Dan Mangan,garrett Downs,leslie Josephs,holly Ellyatt,chloe Taylor,sam Meredith,azhar Sukri,anniek Bao,kevin Breuninger,lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
But by the start of this season, our young capitalists have been flung further afield into new jobs and new places that stir up a vague sense of menace even before the actual danger of the plot grinds into action.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Feb. 2026
The number of technicians who prepare hundreds of skis with special waxes and grinds to ensure the best glide for the day during World Cup, World Championship and Olympic events.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Nothing grinds my gears like shopping for luxury fashion pieces, only to learn that the fabric is made of cheap material (insert crying emoji).
—Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people.
—Kamila Hrabchuk, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
This week’s strikes came as the conflict grinds through its fourth winter, plunging cities into prolonged energy blackouts while temperatures dip well below freezing and are forecast to drop further.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
But Kingstown grinds him up through the prison riots, through being fired from his job to accidentally being responsible for the death of his mother.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinds
Noun
-
The soft, durable material protects the table underneath from hot plates, spilled drinks and scratches, while the pattern is fun and charming.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Don’t use the tablets on delicate surfaces like porcelain and ceramic because their strong chemicals can cause damage like scratches and dulling.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Streamers, corporate entities, and big-name superstars have splashed around the same waters as the DIY SoundCloud nerds.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Styling a pair of sweats is often a game of balance and proportions.—
Antonio Fuentes,
Glamour,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The campaign mirrors Young Miko’s laid-back, swaggy personal style, featuring cozy and stylish sweats that align with her studio wardrobe.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mercury combines with Mars in your 6th House of Healthcare, pushing you to streamline tasks, speak up about workloads, and improve routines.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Walker, an East High School graduate, began performing comedy two decades ago in Denver, quickly moving up the ladder in the alternative and mainstream scenes with his savvy, profane and charming routines that profanely poked fun at his dating habits, among other topics.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
What rubs us the wrong way is the suggestion that this proposal is purely about sustainability.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
This might happen because antler rubs strip bark away, revealing lignin-rich inner wood that reemits the longer wavelengths in a way bark does not.—
Anirban Mukhopadhyay,
Scientific American,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rear-axle steering sharpens a car this size in ways that defy its footprint.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
12 Mar. 2026
-
As your perceptive nature sharpens, teach through example by admitting your mistakes, then fixing them.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Plus, blurs pores, smooths texture, and keeps your makeup intact for 12 hours.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As connection-building Venus activates your 3rd House of Communication, your inventive approach smooths discussions.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To show me, Max reaches a metal pick into a tank of clear water and scrapes a white line that seems to hover in the center of the tank.—
Blair Braverman,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Meyer helped design a tracking system that scrapes data from Zillow to detect price hikes greater than 10%.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grinds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinds. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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