GRINDS Synonyms: 194 Similar and Opposite Words

grinds 1 of 2

noun

Definition of grinds next

plural of grind

as in scratches

a harsh grating sound the grind of ice in the blender sent the cat running from the room

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Relevance

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

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as in sweats

very hard or unpleasant work yard work is a real grind

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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

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grinds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grind

as in rubs

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

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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

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as in sharpens

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 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

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as in scrapes

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

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as in pounds

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 grinds

Noun

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 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

Verb

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 When Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro raises his hand skyward, all on-field action grinds to a halt. —

Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026 Their offensive flow grinds to a halt. —

Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 12 May 2026 The production, directed with the brooding fluidity that is David Cromer’s calling card, is most alive in the evolving dynamic between Nick and Jacki, whose romance happens by degrees then all at once before reality intervenes and the criminal justice bureaucracy grinds to a halt. —

Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 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. —

Tory Johnson, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026 Company executives often meet with clients at Wilson's Sandwich Shop, a Depression-era favorite that still cuts and grinds its hamburger in-house from local cattle. —

Dean Narciso, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026 While passengers, for the most part, do their best to extend common courtesy to airline staff, there’s one boarding habit that, unbeknownst to passengers, grinds the gears of flight attendants who are preparing for departure. —

Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinds

Noun

Like the experimental teeth, the ones from Neanderthal archaeological sites had the same overlapping small fractures, shallow indentations, and shallow scratches.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026
An upper-body injury knocked him out for a significant period but there were also healthy scratches mixed in.

— Eric Stephens, New York Times, 2 June 2026