rating

¹ American  

[ray-ting] / ˈreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. classification according to grade or rank.

2. assigned position in a particular class or grade, or relative standing, as of a ship or a member of the armed forces.

3. the credit standing of a person or firm.

4. Radio, Television. a percentage indicating the number of listeners to or viewers of a specific program.

5. a designated operating limit for a machine, apparatus, etc., as of voltage, load, or frequency, based on specified conditions.

6. an amount fixed as a rate.

7. British. apportioning of a tax.

8. Chiefly British. one of the enlisted personnel in the British navy.

---

rating ² American  

[ray-ting] / ˈreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. an angry reprimand or rebuke; scolding.

---

rating ¹ British  

/ ˈreɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a classification according to order or grade; ranking

2. (in certain navies) a sailor who holds neither commissioned nor warrant rank; an ordinary seaman

3. sailing a handicap assigned to a racing boat based on its dimensions, sail area, weight, draught, etc

4. the estimated financial or credit standing of a business enterprise or individual

5. radio television a figure based on statistical sampling indicating what proportion of the total listening and viewing audience tune in to a specific programme or network

---

rating ² British  

/ ˈreɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a sharp scolding or rebuke

---

Etymology

Origin of rating¹

First recorded in 1525–35; rat(e) ¹ + -ing ¹

Origin of rating²

First recorded in 1570–80; rat(e) ² + -ing ¹

---

Explanation

A rating is a valuation or rank on a scale. Hotels are often ranked from zero to five stars, so a fancy hotel with loads of amenities (like a pool and plush bathrobes) will usually have a five-star rating. A movie gets a rating based on which audience it’s appropriate for – as in, rated G for kids or rated R for adults. When a TV show gets good ratings, then a lot of people watch it. Before you buy an expensive item, like a bike or an appliance, you can read its ratings online, and once you've tried it out, you can provide your own rating.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rating

The 80-year-old's approval rating has hovered near the low 30s.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

The bank maintains a buy rating and a target price of 4,684 yen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Goldberg, who just lowered his rating on Intel to neutral from buy, said he sees “no reason to own the stock” as the company works through its issues.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

Maybank maintains a buy rating on SD Guthrie and keeps its target price at 7.10 ringgit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

He asks me to give each day a rating between one and ten.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• appraisal
• assessment
• category
• valuation

---