rating

¹ American  

[rey-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.

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rating ² American  

[rey-ting] / ˈreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. an angry reprimand or rebuke; scolding.

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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

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rating ² British  

/ ˈreɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a sharp scolding or rebuke

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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

Private-credit funds mostly invest their money by making loans to companies with low credit ratings that many banks are hesitant to serve.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

Weiss’ overhaul of the “CBS Evening News” with her handpicked anchor Tony Dokoupil has failed to improve the third-place program’s competitive position in the ratings.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

Out to pasture: Despite a big-name cast, apparently good ratings and an Emmy push, Netflix has canceled the sci-fi thriller “The Boroughs” after one season.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

There will probably be more ratings, but for now more than 80% rate shares Buy.

From Barron's • Jun. 29, 2026

There was only one answer: The triple-A ratings gave everyone an excuse to ignore the risks they were running.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• appraisal
• assessment
• category
• valuation