Grind — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈgrīnd/

Meaning & Definition of Grind

Grind (verb)

  1. to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as in a mill or with the teeth)
  2. to wear down, polish, or sharpen by friction
  3. oppress, harass

Grind (noun)

  1. an act of grinding
  2. the sound of grinding
  3. dreary, monotonous, or difficult labor, study, or routine

Grind (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a harsh grating sound

    "the grind of ice in the blender sent the cat running from the room"

    similar: creak, jar, rasp, scrape, scratch
  2. a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits

    "don't be such a grind—go out with your friends and enjoy yourself"

    similar: bookworm, dink (slang), dork (slang), geek, nerd, swot (British), weenie, wonk
  3. very hard or unpleasant work

    "yard work is a real grind"

    opposite: fun, play
  4. 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"

Grind (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make smooth by friction

    "after they are ground and polished, these stones can be used for jewelry"

    similar: buff, file, hone, rasp, rub, sand
  2. 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"

  3. to make sharp or sharper

    "better grind down that ax before you even think about trying to cut down that tree"

    related: file
    opposite: blunt, dull
  4. 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"

  5. to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

    "ground the rock against the stone wall"

    similar: grate, rasp, scrape, scratch
    related: rub, groan, whine
    near: glide, skate, slide
  6. to reduce to fine particles

    "grind whole coffee beans if you want the freshest coffee"

Related Entry: Grind (down) (verb)

Grind (down) is a different word from Grind. The synonyms below are for grind (down), not for grind.

  1. to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress

    "the workers are being ground down by the long work hours which leave them little time for anything else"

Related Entry: Grind (out) (verb)

Grind (out) is a different word from Grind. The synonyms below are for grind (out), not for grind.

  1. to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort

    "after several years of aborted attempts, the band finally ground out a new album"

Related Entry: Grind house (noun)

Grind house is a different word from Grind. The synonyms below are for grind house, not for grind.

  1. as in fleapit

Related Entry: Grind houses (noun)

Grind houses is a different word from Grind. The synonyms below are for grind houses, not for grind.

  1. as in fleapits

Related Entry: Ax (noun)

Ax is a different word from Grind. The synonyms below are for ax, not for grind.

  1. the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily

    "the company was hemorrhaging money, so 700 employees would soon be given the ax"

    similar: discharge, dismissal, furlough, layoff, redundancy (chiefly British)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Grind

The most common words with a similar meaning to Grind:

Slang: dink, dork
British: swot

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Grind

Words with the opposite meaning of Grind:

Near Antonyms of Grind

Word Forms of Grind

Inflections: ground, grinding

Derived words: grindingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Grind

Middle English, from Old English grindan; akin to Latin frendere to crush, grind

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Grind

Words & Phrases Containing Grind

Frequently Asked Questions about Grind

What does "Grind" mean?

"Grind" means to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as in a mill or with the teeth). As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as in a mill or with the teeth). It has 10 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Grind"?

Other words for "Grind" include creak, jar, rasp, scrape, scratch, bookworm, dink and dork. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Grind" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Grind"?

There are 158 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Grind". Common alternatives include creak, jar, rasp, scrape, scratch, bookworm, dink, dork, geek and nerd.

What is the opposite of "Grind"?

Antonyms of "Grind" include fun, play, blunt and dull. Near antonyms include goldbrick, goof-off, slacker and underachiever.

How do you use "Grind" in a sentence?

Examples of "Grind" in a sentence: "the grind of ice in the blender sent the cat running from the room"; "don't be such a grind—go out with your friends and enjoy yourself"; "yard work is a real grind".

Is "Grind" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Grind" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Grind" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Grind" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Grind"?

"Grind" is pronounced /ˈgrīnd/.