Synonyms of rasp

rasp 1 of 2

noun

as in scratch

a harsh grating sound

the rusted lock opened with a rasp

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratch
• scrape
• creak
• grind
• clash
• screech
• jar
• croak
• clang
• clank
• blast
• jangle
• gargle
• scuff
• clangor
• bray
• bleat

rasp

2 of 2

verb

ˈrasp 

1

as in to rub

to make smooth by friction

after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rub
• file
• sand
• grind
• polish
• sharpen
• scrape
• hone
• buff
• smooth
• plane
• gloss
• shine
• edge
• sandblast
• scour
• burnish
• strop
• regrind
• whet
• dress

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rough (up)
• roughen
• coarsen
• scuff

2

as in to scratch

to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratch
• scrape
• rub
• grate
• grind
• groan
• whine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slide
• glide
• skate

3

as in to annoy

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

the two siblings seemed intent on rasping each other for the entire car trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

• annoy
• bug
• bother
• irritate
• persecute
• grate
• get
• eat
• spite
• aggravate
• frost
• anger
• gripe
• ruffle
• worry
• itch
• nettle
• burn (up)
• wear on
• get to
• exasperate
• vex
• put out
• irk
• gall
• chafe
• rile
• hack (off)
• peeve
• tease
• pique
• infuriate
• nark
• plague
• insult
• provoke
• set one's teeth on edge
• rub the wrong way
• stick in one's craw
• get on one's nerves
• nag
• get one's goat
• upset
• devil
• rouse
• badger
• harass
• hassle
• enrage
• offend
• harry
• disquiet
• outrage
• distress
• discomfort
• heckle
• incense
• enflame
• bait
• antagonize
• agitate
• exercise
• fret
• discompose
• madden
• unsettle
• inflame
• affront
• ballyrag
• roil
• bullyrag
• unhinge
• rankle
• perturb
• pester
• undo
• miff
• freak (out)
• hagride

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• placate
• pacify
• please
• appease
• oblige
• satisfy
• delight
• conciliate
• gratify
• mollify
• quiet
• assure
• content
• propitiate
• comfort
• cheer
• soothe
• reassure
• console
• gladden
• solace

4

as in to wear

to damage or diminish by continued friction

during the last ice age, glaciers rasped the surface, leaving the deeply scarred rock

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wear
• erode
• fray
• rub
• reduce
• bite
• shave
• file
• sharpen
• fret
• scrape
• abrade
• gall
• chafe
• erase
• eat
• grate
• sandpaper
• chew
• corrade
• gnaw
• nibble
• frazzle
• wipe (away)
• graze
• wear out
• grind
• sandblast
• scour
• scuff
• disintegrate
• decompose
• corrode
• rub out
• dissolve
• hone
• whet
• break down
• break up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rasp

Noun

The soft rasp of her voice was a surprise, deeper than Sam would have expected from someone so small. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2025

Over Martin’s delicate playing, her aching rasp resonated to the rafters, a melancholy shudder that still sounded comforting. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025

Verb

City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Marcus Rashford’s rasping long-range strike in the eighth minute and a glaring miss from the prolific Haaland from barely two meters out. —Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024

And then Elisabeth uses it, and her spine splits open, leaving her a rasping husk of flesh while an alternate self rises, in the dewy buff, to survey her taut flesh with a clinical eye in the mirror. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024