Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

grader

American  
[grey-der] / ˈgreɪ dər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that grades.

  2. a pupil of a specified grade at school.

    a fourth grader.

  3. a machine for grading.


grader British  
/ ˈɡreɪdə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that grades

  2. a machine, either self-powered or towed by a tractor, that levels earth, rubble, etc, as in road construction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of grader

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; grade + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Hegseth comes across more like the third grader reciting those lines after watching his favorite comic book movie for the umpteenth time.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

As an eighth grader, when she served as a math tutor, Miss Nenna thought about what went into becoming an effective teacher.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

The 43-year-old knows Estonian and helps her daughter with her studies, but the first grader confuses Russian and Estonian letters.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

“As an eighth grader, I was eavesdropping when my mom was talking to a friend and I heard something about medical insurance and how expensive it is,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

He also deeply wanted to know what a sixth grader was.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga