grate

¹ American  

[greyt] / 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.

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verb (used with object)

grated, grating

1. to furnish with a grate or grates.

grate ² American  

[greyt] / 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.

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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

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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

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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

The next day, the grate and the cinder blocks were still there.

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

"If you just need to grate some cheese over pasta, there are alternatives," she said.

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

A grate of orange zest — carrot and citrus are conspirators this time of year.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026

Soup was heating in a saucepan on a metal grate over the fire.

From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III

Metal grates and sandbags were used to prevent debris from floating into storm drains.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

Though all of the back-and-forth between Celeste and Johannes grates the viewer as it circles the drain, Charli, Zamiri and Brandes are aiming and firing at a very real and expanding phenomenon.

From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026

The tax charged on agricultural exports grates on people like Marcos Pereda, who operates a grain farm north of Buenos Aires and a cattle farm to the west.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 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

The room was divided into three sections by two large grates that ran the length of the room.

From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus

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

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

I like making homemade cottage cheese tzatziki with grated cucumbers, diced mint, fresh dill, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic powder and salt.

From Salon ● May 24, 2026

Finish with a generous dollop of ricotta and shower with freshly grated Parmigiano.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Freshly grated wasabi is prepared tableside, a small touch that makes each bite even more memorable.

From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2026

But that was all gari was—dried, grated cassava.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

The unwanted beam copies, called grating lobes, can confuse the sensor and generate false detections.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

The monotony of a corporate job can be grating, but a steady paycheck provides a sense of security.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

As the interview progressed, Vance’s vaunted media savvy quickly morphed into something far more grating: a combination of condescension and profound insincerity.

From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2026

As pleasant as it was to escape the grating prattle of Lady Constance and the bizarre behavior of Lord Fredrick, it also felt oddly sad to be the one left behind.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• mince
• rub