Slate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adjective /ˈslāt/

Meaning & Definition of Slate

Slate (noun)

  1. a piece of construction material (such as laminated rock) prepared as a shingle for roofing and siding
  2. a dense fine-grained metamorphic rock produced by the compression of various sediments (such as clay or shale) so as to develop a characteristic cleavage
  3. a tablet (as of slate) used for writing on

Slate (verb)

  1. to cover (something) with slate or a slatelike substance
  2. to designate (someone or something) for a specified purpose or action occurring especially at a fixed time
  3. to thrash or pummel severely
  4. to criticize or censure severely

Slate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to put (someone or something) on a list

    "you've been slated for a three o'clock interview"

    similar: catalog, enroll, enter, index, inscribe, list, put down, record, register, schedule
    related: book, card, file, note, classify, compile, tabulate, tally, reschedule
    near: delete

  2. to strike repeatedly

    "ready to slate anyone who disagreed"

    similar: bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, fib (British), flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, lick, maul, mess (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, punch out, rough (up), slog, switch, tan, thrash, thresh, thump, tromp, wallop, whale, whip, whop, whup, work over, beat up on
    related: assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp, blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap, gore, lacerate, wound, maim, mangle, mutilate

Slate (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. of the color gray

    "the slate sky was a sure sign of rain"

    similar: argentine, gray, grayish, leaden, pewter, silver, silvery, slaty, steely
    related: achromatic, colorless, neutral, dirty, dull, faded, sad, washed-out, ashen, ashy, chalky, livid, mousy, pale, palish, white, whitish, chocolate, dun, sandy, sepia, brindled, grizzled, hoar, hoary
    near: ablaze, bright, deep, gay, rich, chromatic, colored, colorful, motley, multicolored, polychromatic, polychrome, varicolored, variegated

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Slate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Slate:

British: fib
catalog, enroll, enter, index, inscribe, list, put down, record, register, schedule, bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, lick, maul, mess (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel

Related Words for Slate

book, card, file, note, classify, compile, tabulate, tally, reschedule, assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch

Near Antonyms of Slate

delete, ablaze, bright, deep, gay, rich, chromatic, colored, colorful, motley, multicolored, polychromatic, polychrome, varicolored, variegated

Word Forms of Slate

Inflections: slated, slating

Derived words: slate (adjective), slatelike (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Slate

Middle English sclate, slate, from Anglo-French *esclat, from esclater to splinter, break off, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zesleizzen, slīzan to tear apart slit

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Slate

slate black, slate blue, slate gray, blank slate, clean slate, wipe the slate clean

Frequently Asked Questions about Slate

What does "Slate" mean?

"Slate" means a piece of construction material (such as laminated rock) prepared as a shingle for roofing and siding. As an a noun, a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: a piece of construction material (such as laminated rock) prepared as a shingle for roofing and siding. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Slate"?

Other words for "Slate" include catalog, enroll, enter, index, inscribe, list, put down and record. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Slate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Slate"?

There are 153 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Slate". Common alternatives include catalog, enroll, enter, index, inscribe, list, put down, record, register and schedule.

How do you use "Slate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Slate" in a sentence: "you've been slated for a three o'clock interview"; "ready to slate anyone who disagreed"; "the slate sky was a sure sign of rain".

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

"Slate" can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Slate"?

"Slate" is pronounced /ˈslāt/.

What is the origin of the word "Slate"?

"Slate" comes from Middle English sclate, slate, from Anglo-French *esclat, from esclater to splinter, break off, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zesleizzen, slīzan to tear apart slit. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Slate" meaning "to put (someone or something) on a list"?

When "Slate" (verb) means to put (someone or something) on a list, synonyms include catalog, enroll, enter, index, inscribe and list.