Meaning

(typically of a voice) Harsh and unpleasant..

Definitions by Sense

1. (typically of a voice) Harsh and unpleasant.
2. Annoying; tending to annoy.
3. A barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air.
4. A frame of iron bars to hold a fire.
5. The loose material that comes from something being grated.
6. An optical system of close equidistant and parallel lines or bars, especially lines ruled on a polished surface, used for producing spectra by diffraction.
7. (nautical, in the plural) The strong wooden lattice used to cover a hatch, admitting light and air; also, a movable lattice used for the flooring of boats.
8. The sound made by something that grates against something else.

Example Sentences

grating vocals

Add a few gratings of nutmeg to the hot milk.

If, with these symptoms, are heard gratings of the teeth, irregular appetite, and sudden ebullitions of temper we may reasonably conclude that parasites are irritating the intestines and should be gotten rid of.

Word Forms

• gratings

Synonyms for grating

Related Words

When Should You Use Grating?

Use grating when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions