1
as in annoys
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
unintentionally or not, you say rude things that grate people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grates
This beloved Microplane zester is made from stainless steel and designed with a unique tooth set that grates hard spices, citrus, cheeses, and more as smooth as butter.
—
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
And though Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter's dysfunctional love story still grates, corporate drama and spikes of heart drive the Paramount+ series.
—Ew Staff November 14, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects.
—Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
And though Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter's dysfunctional love story still grates, corporate drama and spikes of heart drive the Paramount+ series.
—Ew Staff November 14, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects.
—Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grates
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Or when Reggie purposefully annoys Arthur by having his son, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), practice with his a cappella group in Arthur’s editing suite, a move that demonstrates the increasingly teasing affection between Arthur and Reggie.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For a child who scratches through the night or wakes up with irritated patches, that difference in breathability is meaningful.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
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But this satirical peek into Silicon Valley's tech bubble barely scratches the surface of the depravity and dysfunction to come.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.—
Linley Sanders,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Give him lots of treats and belly rubs!—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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It can be added to marinades, soups, sauces, rubs, and is often on the table to be added to whatever dish is being served.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Avery Sullivan, with whom Morris also plays in the country-rock band Fust, keeps loose time on drums, tapping the snare like someone setting down coffee mugs while Libby Rodenbough scrapes out a few melody lines on her fiddle and colors empty spaces with some ghostly tremolo.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
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To show me, Max reaches a metal pick into a tank of clear water and scrapes a white line that seems to hover in the center of the tank.—
Blair Braverman,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Daisy is caught so off guard that her first reaction is to laugh, which irritates Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
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Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The production, directed with the brooding fluidity that is David Cromer’s calling card, is most alive in the evolving dynamic between Nick and Jacki, whose romance happens by degrees then all at once before reality intervenes and the criminal justice bureaucracy grinds to a halt.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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The Food Processor quickly chops, slices, and shreds a wide array of ingredients for unlimited culinary creations, while the Coffee & Spice Grinder efficiently grinds coffee beans, spices, and herbs for superior flavor and potency.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grates. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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