grate

¹ American  

[grayt] / greɪt /

noun

• grates
  plural

1. a frame of metal bars for holding fuel when burning, as in a fireplace, furnace, or stove.

2. a framework of parallel or crossed bars, used as a partition, guard, cover, or the like; grating.

3. a fireplace.

---

verb (used with object)

grated, grating

1. to furnish with a grate or grates.

grate ² American  

[grayt] / greɪt /

verb (used without object)

grated, grating

1. to have an irritating or unpleasant effect.

   His constant chatter grates on my nerves.

2. to make a sound of, or as if of, rough scraping; rasp.

3. to sound harshly; jar.

   to grate on the ear.

4. to scrape or rub with rough or noisy friction, as one thing on or against another.

---

verb (used with object)

grated, grating

1. to reduce to small particles by rubbing against a rough surface or a surface with many sharp-edged openings.

   to grate a carrot.

2. to rub together with a harsh, jarring sound.

   to grate one's teeth.

3. to irritate or annoy.

   Synonyms:

   bug, rile, irk, nettle, gall, vex

4. Archaic. to wear down or away by rough friction.

grate ¹ British  

/ ɡreɪt /

noun

1. a framework of metal bars for holding fuel in a fireplace, stove, or furnace

2. a less common word for fireplace

3. another name for grating 1

4. mining a perforated metal screen for grading crushed ore

---

verb

1. (tr) to provide with a grate or grates

grate ² British  

/ ɡreɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to reduce to small shreds by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface

   to grate carrots

2. to scrape (an object) against something or (objects) together, producing a harsh rasping sound, or (of objects) to scrape with such a sound

3. (intr; foll by on or upon) to annoy

---

noun

1. a harsh rasping sound

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• grateless
  adjective
• gratelike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• grates
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of grate¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin grāta “a grating, lattice,” variant of crāta, derivative of Latin crāt- (stem of crātis ) “wickerwork, hurdle”; cf. crate

Origin of grate²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English graten “to reduce to powder, crumble, grate,” from Old French grater, from Germanic; compare German kratzen “to scratch,” Swedish kratta “to rake”

---

Explanation

When you grate something you rip it to shreds, like a pound of solid cheese that you shred for a recipe. The verb grate entered the English language in the fourteenth century by way of the French word grater, meaning “to scrape.” Using grate in this sense, you might grate your teeth or grate a carrot, meaning rub or pulverize. By the sixteenth century the word had taken on the additional meaning of “sound harshly” and “annoy.” This evolution makes sense if you think about it: If you’ve ever had anything really annoy you — "grate on your nerves" — it can almost seem as if a cheese grater has been applied to your nerves and is slowly ripping them to shreds.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grate grates grated grating

Thanks for several chuckles — especially your response to the reader who questioned the existence of editors at the Times: “Thats a grate queston.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

I like to finely grate or purée zucchini and carrots into the mixture for extra juiciness.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

After the crocodile ate a bird that had flown in, staff moved the reptile outside and used cinder blocks to weigh down the grate keeping it closed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

"I had this feeling like a heavy metal grate pressing down on my face.. I was telling myself to get up, but I couldn't get up."

From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026

Some of the bolts did not want to slip through their holes; also I put the grate on backward the first time and had to take it off again.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

“The name Homeland Security grates on a lot of people, understandably,” she wrote.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Some residents mounted grates on the backs of their motorcycles to take the injured to health clinics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Her in-laws have installed metal sheet grates over theirs, marking a “huge cost” for mitigation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2025

Yes, it has become a commercial beast and the rampant hyping of the brand grates, but the essence of what makes the Lions special is strong and apparently unbreakable.

From BBC ● May 7, 2025

We were caught in a sudden rush of foaming surf that raced off it in every direction, thrown hard onto a surface of metal grates.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

A flat piece of fried dough typically topped with sour cream, garlic and grated cheese, ordinary lángos is best sampled at the city’s market halls, for 1/100th the price of Stand’s tasting menu.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Pesto is made here with basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and grated cheese, all ground to a thick paste.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

I grated a ripe tomato into a bowl, an operation I find disproportionately satisfying.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

As fatigue -- and anger at army scandals -- grew, that approach grated.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Another day: coffee, grated carrots, cottage cheese, and three containers of yogurt.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

It can be grating to send estimated quarterly tax payments to the IRS.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

It’s a little grating to see boorish Tony offer him business tips.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Even though I find loudcasting intensely grating, I have never registered an official complaint and have only occasionally asked other passengers to turn the volume down on their device.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Older generations might find it grating and simplistic, at least initially.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

A grating sound came from the dragon's throat like the noise of an avalanche far off, stones falling among mountains.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• mince
• rub

---