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
Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
Kennedy’s vocal rasp is not caused by an infection or respiratory condition.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 29 Jan. 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
Over Martin’s delicate playing, her aching rasp resonated to the rafters, a melancholy shudder that still sounded comforting.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
Kennedy’s vocal rasp is not caused by an infection or respiratory condition.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 29 Jan. 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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The one-sheet recipes that arrive with each box, detailing how to make scratch ramen or mushroom Dijon chicken, are far less complicated than the process that got those ingredients to your door.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
18 May 2025
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And the project, essentially, was to build one of the world’s biggest football clubs from scratch.—
James Montague,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Better yet—especially for those with a delicate face of glam—there’s no need to rub the touchless formula in once it’s applied.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
23 May 2025
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Each evening at 6 p.m. sharp, the exclusive cadre that are the guests of Capella gather to rub elbows and swap stories.—
Christopher Cameron,
Robb Report,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The links with current Saudi champions Al Hilal are genuine, and that should be the real concern for everyone at Old Trafford — not whether Fernandes is overrated, underrated or secretly wants to scrape his studs down Keane’s shins.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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Video footage on social media shows the ship — flying a huge Mexican flag — scraping the underside and its masts collapsing onto the deck.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Orlando Sentinel Residents also allege the neighbor erected phallic objects on a fence at his home to annoy them.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2025
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Cahill also spoke about how the political nature of the case annoyed him, as politicians spoke out about Floyd's death, and some called for system-wide change.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
25 May 2025
Verb
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For their big milestone, the twins wore dark blue caps and gowns with matching white asymmetrical cocktail dresses underneath, posing for photos with their classmates, friends and family members while holding flowers and their diplomas.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Boul was literally with his current come up wearing MY jewelry.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
23 May 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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And in 2018, the chain also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection but came out of it the next year.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
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In a campaign finance report for last quarter filed in April, Riddle reported raising $30,302.02 in contributions and spending $4,321.01, leaving a balance of $25,981.01 as of March 31.—
Michael R. Wickline,
Arkansas Online,
20 May 2025
Verb
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But this is not the case in Season 2, and it’s been bugging me to no end.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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In less than a minute, Judge posed both the problem and the solution that will bug the Yankees for as long as Soto is doing his shuffle.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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