rasp 1 of 2

as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the rusted lock opened with a rasp

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rasp

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters

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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

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3
4

Examples 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 rasp
Noun
At the heart of the group’s new identity is the interplay between Shinoda, who sounds revitalized as both quick-twitch rapper and heartfelt crooner, and Armstrong, whose formidable rasp can both wallop and deeply affect rock listeners. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Sep. 2024 Then, one day, the filmmaker found himself on the other end of the line from that hypnotic New York rasp. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2024
Verb
The cucumbers should be rasped and cut in half lengthwise. Roger Sands, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 Starring opposite Nicolas Cage, who is Longlegs’ titular menace—a disfigured, rasping serial killer with mysterious means to his ends—Monroe plays Lee Harker, a talented and reserved FBI recruit whose cryptic psychic abilities give her strange insight into her target’s methods. Megan McCluskey, TIME, 10 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for rasp 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
  • Potential homebuyers with children in Detroit, for example, need roughly 20.3 years to save for a 20% down payment from scratch, according to Zoocasa.
    Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2025
  • To help, Angelenos, including Hollywood stars, have sprung into action by collecting and delivering meals and goods and using social media to share GoFundMe links for those impacted, many of whom are starting over from scratch.
    Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • For stains that have had time to settle in, gently rub the spot with toothpaste or baking soda.
    Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Wash gently: Use a soft washcloth when cleansing your baby’s face, and do not rub the skin.
    Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, Verywell Health, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Colorado Department of Transportation’s statewide map showed all interstate and major state highways open as of 10:30 a.m., with dozens of plows busy scraping roadways.
    Max Levy, The Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The project, which has over 1,200 submissions, has evolved to include an army of volunteers who scrape data from Zillow and report violations to the city’s 311 hotline, the LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, and the state Attorney General’s office.
    Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Patrice O’Neal did a wonderful job of being annoyed.
    Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Together the besties are annoyed by the mundanity of their jobs, from fielding ridiculous customer complaints to suffering the indignity of having their service summoned by a bell on a pop-up flag installed on the tables.
    Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Since the original 110-mile ribbon of the turnpike opened in 1957, workers have manned the tiny booths 24 hours a day to accept tolls -the last dozen years wearing those iconic retro Florida shirts.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Related: See All the New Justin Baldoni & Blake Lively’s Texts & Emails—Including the One That References Taylor Swift Did Blake Lively wear blackface?
    Caroline Bell, StyleCaster, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Gracey gets an astonishing amount across in the details: the goofy creak of a leather jumpsuit, a camera angle tilted to show the utterly unspectacular pulley system that yanked Williams upside-down in front of a crowd of 125,000.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The chapel was so old that creaks shuttered across the floor like lightning.
    Nicolette Polek, Harper's Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
  • Fox faces a second trial later this year in a $2.7 billion suit filed by another voting tech company, Smartmatic.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit decided an appeal filed by hemp company Northern Virginia Hemp and Agriculture and other plaintiffs challenging Virginia’s Senate Bill 903, a law regulating hemp products.
    Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Impact Impact, another word that bugs me to no end, is in my top three words to drop.
    Renae Gregoire, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Pretty much since the first day Fortnite Chapter 6 season 1 launched, players have been complaining that XP across the game’s various modes either felt nerfed or bugged.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near rasp

Cite this Entry

“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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