1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction
after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
the two siblings seemed intent on rasping each other for the entire car trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to wear
to damage or diminish by continued friction
during the last ice age, glaciers rasped the surface, leaving the deeply scarred rock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rasp
Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
In this case, there’s not much in the way of medication that can help; Dr. Mercado notes that OTC drugs haven’t actually been proven effective for softening a bad rasp.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Feb. 2025
Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
And then Elisabeth uses it, and her spine splits open, leaving her a rasping husk of flesh while an alternate self rises, in the dewy buff, to survey her taut flesh with a clinical eye in the mirror.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Noun
Kennedy’s vocal rasp is not caused by an infection or respiratory condition.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
In this case, there’s not much in the way of medication that can help; Dr. Mercado notes that OTC drugs haven’t actually been proven effective for softening a bad rasp.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Marcus Rashford’s rasping long-range strike in the eighth minute and a glaring miss from the prolific Haaland from barely two meters out.
—Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
And then Elisabeth uses it, and her spine splits open, leaving her a rasping husk of flesh while an alternate self rises, in the dewy buff, to survey her taut flesh with a clinical eye in the mirror.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
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As a mother of three children with autoimmune issues, Chevrier said she is forced to shop at specialty stores or make everything from scratch.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
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Nowadays, there is less pressure to make everything from scratch and have a perfect home.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
3 May 2025
Verb
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This is an effective way to acknowledge foresight without rubbing it in, says Malka Shaw, a licensed clinical social worker in Nutley, N.J.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
30 Apr. 2025
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But the act of gently rubbing castor oil into the abdomen may be soothing.—
Justin Laube,
EverydayHealth.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The game would be scraped shortly after it was released, and editors would get busy trying to figure out how those pieces fit together.—
Daniel Larlham,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2025
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Besides her grief and anger, Cora is broke, insecure, living with a religious aunt and working as a crime scene cleaner, scraping away human remains for money.—
Gabino Iglesias,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Easily annoyed by noises like gum smacking or cereal slurping.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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The controversy over attire comes just two months after Zelensky was criticized and called disrespectful by a reporter at the White House for not wearing a suit during his visit to the Oval Office, with reports suggesting that Trump was annoyed by Zelensky's choice of clothing.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Famously, stage and film star Sir Sean Connery openly discussed wearing a headpiece in all of his James Bond roles.—
Rhiannon Frater,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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Inter won a free kick in the first minute of the second half — and Chivu, who wore a sporadically unclasped rugby scrum cap during the game, blasted it wide from 40 yards out, emphasising their total disinterest in mounting any meaningful attack.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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My assumption is that most rational human beings would happily stay in a warm and cozy office and simply listen to the building creak and groan under the force of the violent gusts.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside Online,
11 Mar. 2025
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The set is a ship’s deck that tilts and creaks ominously while a screen plays eerily textured footage of a roiling ocean.—
Houman Barekat,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Several other practices have filed lawsuits of their own, per the Times.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
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Federal prosecutors said those clients were unaware that Christina Moles, now 50, had falsified their returns, which were filed between 2015 and 2021.—
Douglas Walker,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
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And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.—
Time,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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