grill
1 Americannoun
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a grated utensil for broiling meat, fish, vegetables, etc., over a fire; gridiron.
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a dish of grilled meat, fish, etc.
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Philately. a group of small pyramidal marks, embossed or impressed in parallel rows on certain U.S. and Peruvian stamps of the late 19th century to prevent erasure of cancellation marks.
verb (used with object)
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to broil on a gridiron or other apparatus over or before a fire.
- Synonyms:
- barbecue
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to subject to severe and persistent cross-examination or questioning.
- Synonyms:
- probe, interrogate
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to torment with heat.
- Synonyms:
- torture
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to mark with a series of parallel bars like those of a grill.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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Usual US and Canadian word: broil. to cook (meat, fish, etc) by direct heat, as under a grill or over a hot fire, or (of meat, fish, etc) to be cooked in this way
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(tr; usually passive) to torment with or as if with extreme heat
the travellers were grilled by the scorching sun
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informal (tr) to subject to insistent or prolonged questioning
noun
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a device with parallel bars of thin metal on which meat, fish, etc, may be cooked by a fire; gridiron
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a device on a cooker that radiates heat downwards for grilling meat, fish, etc
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food cooked by grilling
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See grillroom
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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grillsimple
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grillssimple
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have grilledperfect
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has grilledperfect
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am grillingprogressive
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are grillingprogressive
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is grillingprogressive
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have been grillingperfect progressive
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has been grillingperfect progressive
Past
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grilledsimple
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had grilledperfect
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was grillingprogressive
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were grillingprogressive
-
had been grillingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grill
1660–70; 1890–95 grill 1 for def. 6; < French gril gridiron ≪ Latin crātīculum, creātīculō, diminutive of crātis wickerwork, hurdle. See grille
Explanation
Not all grilling involves fire and delicious food. Sometimes, to grill means to ask a person really intense questions, like when you suspect them of doing something wrong and you want to make them confess the truth. Ever seen a film where a police officer puts a bright light in a criminal’s face and screams, “Did you do it?” That’s how you grill someone. You have to be tough on him, and not let him off the hook too easily. Being grilled means you are in the “hot seat,” and it’ll feel like you’re cooking from such a close examination. Better to grill than be grilled, but if you get caught — think of an alibi, quick!
Vocabulary lists containing grill
Blanch, Poach, and Scald: Cooking Methods
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The Poet X
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Inquire Within: Synoynms for "Ask"
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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.
See Examples For:
Rare is the suburban grill chef who doesn’t keep an instant-read thermometer in his apron pocket.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
A great appetizer gives everyone something to snack on while the grill heats up, while an easy dessert lets the evening linger without sending you back into the kitchen for another complicated cooking project.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
She asked about their prices for beef heading into the holiday weekend, when demand for burgers on the grill is at its highest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Zhang Tengfei, a former factory worker who spent a decade in the car industry, joined China's first dedicated barbecue school hoping to launch a career behind the grill.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
The potatoes I'd been expecting have apparently either been clarified to an essence or were used to stoke the grill.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Hunched over sizzling grills and shrouded in smoke, trainees at the Yueyang Barbecue Academy in southern China roast skewer after skewer of succulent beef tendon, perfecting the skills that could land them a restaurant job.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
This July 4, millions of Americans will fire up their grills and cook plenty of burgers and steaks.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Outdoor cooking has never been more confusing, what with pellet smokers that call themselves grills and charcoal grills that require electricity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
The 88 apartments in the Metropolitan are 91% rented, according to a listing for the property by the Zacuto Group, which also touts its roof deck with pool, fitness center and barbecue grills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Teenie showed them the stones that had been dug into the side of the fireplace where bread was baked and the iron grills where food was fried.
From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper
She said it was "a tough one because I have a lot of palettes to appease", with her British-born husband favouring "meat, potatoes and cream sauce" while she preferred grilled fish.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
A top lawmaker from Australia's far-right One Nation party has grabbed headlines after exploding at a misbehaving dog as he was grilled on live TV.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
For a more classic grilled centerpiece, 44 Farms’ 16-ounce prime boneless ribeyes are rich, well-marbled and substantial enough to anchor the whole meal.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
Its signature breakfast included two sausages, two rashers of bacon and two fried eggs, with sautéed potatoes, baked beans and a grilled tomato for good measure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
My cousin Nazgol, who may have actually been a Ringwraith, sat on my other side, watching Laleh cut her kabob and mix grilled tomato into her rice.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Manchester Farms’ butterflied quail is another fun protein to add to your grilling repertoire.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
But even with their grilling certificate, success is not assured.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
And before Cretton could come back to his notes, Kingsley turned the tables and began grilling him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
As a boy, he started grilling and selling burgers on the street.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Once, I saw Arletta Paisley make a chef’s apron on a show geared toward summer picnics and grilling.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
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.
