grinds 1 of 2

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

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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

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3
4

grinds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grind
1
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

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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

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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

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5
as in scrapes
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface ground the rock against the stone wall

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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 grinds
Noun
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 And Destiny 2 has had some bad grinds in the past. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
At bottom, that’s the thing that grinds my gears. Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025 The Luxe Café automatically grinds beans to the appropriate size and volume for your drink, and has a hands-free frothing system for creating hot and cold foam. Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025 The White House is halting $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding due to concerns over diversity and inclusion practices and as the first day of a federal shutdown grinds government work to a halt. Gregory Korte, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025 This all-in-one machine grinds and brews for maximum freshness, dispensing the perfect dose of caffeine each time. Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025 People die in this movie, and nobody seems to care, which could be a metaphor for the way the pro sports industry grinds up and disposes of its warriors. Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025 That fear grinds community life to a halt, resulting in less foot traffic, lower sales, and more empty storefronts. Javier Palomarez, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 Sarah stands up from the audience to fill in the lyrics after David, confronting his then childhood girlfriend, grinds the performance to an auditorium-freezing halt. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2025 Too often, the buying journey still grinds like an outdated gearbox. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinds
Noun
  • After several flights, the shell is still free of scratches and signs of wear.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
  • In the Facebook video, Loki happily accepted gentle petting and head scratches.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • But of course, for space nerds like us, lots of old, classic factions and debates pop out of this new framework.
    Lee Billings, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Roberts’s pet theory is the Major Questions Doctrine, known to Supreme Court nerds as MQD.
    Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Especially with two new blockers on the outside, as left tackle Jordan Seaton watched the game in sweats while wearing a walking boot on his right ankle.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
  • With cozy cold-weather trips on the calendar, your travel wardrobe best be stocked with warm sweats.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • From supporting overall wellness to preventing nutrient deficiencies, taking supplements is a cornerstone in many people’s health routines.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 10 Nov. 2025
  • As women start to progress through this period, their wellness routines might need modification to adequately manage symptoms and reflect the changing needs of their bodies.
    Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The video shows the pup lounging around in various positions in a home setting, from asleep on the floor and over a blanket to playing with a dog toy and lying on the floor with her legs in the air as a hand rubs her belly.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • For a deeper dive into DeRose-Broeckert’s findings about how deer perceive scrapes and rubs, head over to NDA.
    Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Dialing up that Corsa setting makes maximum engine boost available on demand, sharpens the throttle, firms the suspension, and throws active exhaust valves open at all times.
    Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
  • During all holidays and at frequent Italian dinners in-between, the family keeps their edge — and sharpens Liv’s — in intense games of Nerts (a fast-paced, multiplayer card game), flag football, cornhole, washers, wiffleball and various other games.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • These pants are available in a petite-friendly 29-inch inseam and feature a wide contour waistband that smooths you out.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The Libra moon meeting Venus smooths everything over.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Nobody catches it for week, until someone scrapes customer addresses and posts them online.
    Daniel Fusch, Ascend Agency, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Injuries can occur when the person scrapes over the rocks.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grinds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinds. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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