grind 1 of 2

noun

Definition of grindnext
1
as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the grind of ice in the blender sent the cat running from the room

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2
as in nerd
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits don't be such a grind—go out with your friends and enjoy yourself

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in effort
very hard or unpleasant work yard work is a real grind

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4
as in routine
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity the daily grind of a 50-mile commute was getting old

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grind

2 of 2

verb

ˈgrīnd How to pronounce grind (audio)
1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction after they are ground and polished, these stones can be used for jewelry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grit
to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound everyone in the car winced when the driver ground the gears trying to shift into second

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3
as in to sharpen
to make sharp or sharper better grind down that ax before you even think about trying to cut down that tree

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure used the finest polishing paper he could to grind down the facets of the diamond before dusting it with a soft cloth

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5
as in to scratch
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface ground the rock against the stone wall

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to crush
to reduce to fine particles grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun grind contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of grind are drudgery, labor, toil, travail, and work. While all these words mean "activity involving effort or exertion," grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body.

the grind of the assembly line

When might drudgery be a better fit than grind?

In some situations, the words drudgery and grind are roughly equivalent. However, drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor.

an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery

When would labor be a good substitute for grind?

While the synonyms labor and grind are close in meaning, labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor

When is toil a more appropriate choice than grind?

The words toil and grind are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor.

his lot would be years of back-breaking toil

When could travail be used to replace grind?

The synonyms travail and grind are sometimes interchangeable, but travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering.

years of travail were lost when the house burned

In what contexts can work take the place of grind?

The meanings of work and grind largely overlap; however, work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force.

too tired to do any work

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grind
Noun
Kerr still yearns for the daily grind. —Nick Friedell, New York Times, 14 May 2026 Viewers will witness Haaland’s rigorous training regime, deep connection to his roots and the emotional highs and lows of the tournament grind – thirty years after his father helped carry the nation to the 1994 tournament. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 May 2026
Verb
Begin by gently grinding the tip of your dog’s nails, being careful not to grind too much or too quickly and keeping the grinder at a slight angle to avoid the quick. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 During the weekend's work, officials say crews will mill and grind existing concrete pavement and prepare for the repair and replacement of slabs of the interstate. —Dan Raby, CBS News, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for grind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grind
  1. scratch
  2. nerd
  3. effort
  4. routine
  5. rub
  6. grit
  7. sharpen
  8. polish
Noun
  • Always use a soft, lint-free microfiber cloth to avoid scratches.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
  • After arriving back home, the visitor also became ill after getting a scratch.
    — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Definition of scratch
Noun
  • This is a must-do for botany nerds seeking a nature fix.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
  • And the Model 3 appealed to tech nerds because it was packed with software-upgradeable tech like Autopilot and FSD.
    — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Definition of nerd
Noun
  • Eco effort The most impressive part of the property is its lush landscaping.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
  • Fox’s efforts to cater to a digitally savvy cohort to boost the fortunes of its news operations will no doubt be watched by other mainstream TV-news outlets.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 May 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • Move the desk, change the routine, state the preference.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
  • These creators made that knowledge far more accessible, producing educational content on everything from building a washday routine and transitioning from relaxers to mastering styles like twist-outs.
    — Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 14 May 2026
Definition of routine
Verb
  • Use this solution to blot the top layer of the mattress, trying to moisten and gently rub versus soak the mattress.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
  • The plastic bristles coax out loose hair as your cat rubs against it.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • This is where the conspiracy theories begin to grit their teeth.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Eye protection keeps grime and grit out of your eyes.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of grit
Verb
  • As usual, the music feels like a church revival crossed with a classic R&B revue, sharpened by the social commentary of his beloved reggae and hip-hop.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 18 May 2026
  • That gap between the imagined object and the real one sharpened the launch rather than softening it.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Definition of sharpen
Verb
  • Plenty of people already use AI to polish text in emails or other documents before sending them, and this is essentially the same thing for voice input.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 12 May 2026
  • Something about a summer ceremony invites fun into a potentially formal dress code—your attire should be polished, yes, but can lean playful and bright.
    — Sarah Zendejas, Vogue, 10 May 2026
Definition of polish

Phrases Containing grind

Browse Nearby Words

grinches
grind
grind (down)
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Cite this Entry

“Grind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grind. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of grind for Spanish Speakers

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