grind
verb (used with object)
to wear, smooth, or sharpen by abrasion or friction; whet.
was grinding
-
past progressiveof grind.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
In November 2024, a Navy contractor was grinding asphalt on the site — a construction project that, while unrelated to the site’s historical contamination, triggered the Navy to monitor for any air quality issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2025
“I was grinding my gears in terms of my mental health; I was pretty angry all the time. So I thought I’d give it a go.”
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2025
Fleetwood was grinding last week on the practice putting green at the Renaissance Club during the Scottish Open and if that work pays dividends, the Englishman might make his major breakthrough.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2024
While OSU was grinding through a physically and emotionally taxing duel with Washington last weekend, the Ducks were in cruise control at Arizona State.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
Sohrab’s neck turned red, and his jaw twitched, like he was grinding his teeth a little bit.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
