rate 1 of 3

1
as in quality
degree of excellence not being of the first rate, these apples are usually sold as food for livestock

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in ratio
the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things the exchange rate was 10 pesos to the dollar when we visited Mexico

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rate

2 of 3

verb (1)

1
as in to deserve
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment) how does a summer intern rate a new computer when I've been told to make do with this clunker?

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2
3
as in to rank
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes a restaurant that consistently rates high in all the standard categories

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4
as in to consider
to think of in a particular way I would rate her my best friend; after all, she's always been there when I needed her

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rate

3 of 3

verb (2)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rate are appraise, assess, estimate, evaluate, and value. While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

When might appraise be a better fit than rate?

The words appraise and rate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

When could assess be used to replace rate?

Although the words assess and rate have much in common, assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

When is estimate a more appropriate choice than rate?

The meanings of estimate and rate largely overlap; however, estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

When is it sensible to use evaluate instead of rate?

The synonyms evaluate and rate are sometimes interchangeable, but evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

How do value and appraise relate to one another, in the sense of rate?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

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 rate
Noun
Moore has defended Baltimore, firing back at the president each time about the city's homicide rate, which has fallen to a 50-year low but has remained relatively high compared to other major cities. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025 Perhaps the only thing that could put a rate cut in doubt is a surprise spike in inflation. Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
The company says that a fuel core is rated at 20 years of full power at the lowest power rating. Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 However, an Italian Nona dies every time someone rates this dish at above a three star. Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rate
Noun
  • Moderate air quality in general is expected though areas immediately north and west of the fire could see up to unhealthy air quality.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Both are designed to bring café-quality coffee to the home kitchen with zero fuss.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The government spends around a third of its revenue on debt interest payments, one of the highest ratios in the world.
    Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • This ratio means the market expects the company’s profits to never grow from TTM ended 2Q25 levels.
    David Trainer, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rate. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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