grinder
Americannoun
-
a person or thing that grinds.
-
a kitchen device or appliance for grinding food.
-
a sharpener of tools.
-
a molar tooth.
-
Chiefly New England and Inland North. hero sandwich.
-
Informal. grinders, the teeth.
noun
-
a person who grinds, esp one who grinds cutting tools
-
a machine for grinding
-
a molar tooth
Regionalisms
See hero sandwich.
Etymology
Origin of grinder
Vocabulary lists containing grinder
Mechanical Engineering
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Engineering - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Electronic tchotchkes are ubiquitous but many people have little or no access to nutritious food or health care as our environment is run through a meat grinder and set on fire.
From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026
“Sopranos” creator David Chase ran all those rules through the meat grinder at Satriale’s, and in the process made the most imitated show since “I Love Lucy.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026
Hamilton coach Elijah Asante said, “Coach Chesney is a grinder and he’s going to find those hidden gems.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026
“This guy’s just a straight grinder, works at-bats,” general manager Brandon Gomes said after the Dodgers acquired Call from the Washington Nationals in exchange for two pitching prospects.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025
Somebody had found a cache of coffee beans about two months earlier, and they had sent to Saigon for a coffee grinder.
From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
