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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rasp
Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2025
The crowd was eating out of the palm of his hand, hanging on every word spit with that signature rasp.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 18 Aug. 2025
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2025
The Argentina legend stepped up and rasped the ball into the top corner.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Noun
None of this would land without the heroic voice acting of Pamela Adlon, who subtly dials up his boyish vocal fry into the rasp of a grown man.
—Verb
Thrips have rasping, sucking mouthparts.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
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James Harden was a late scratch for the Clippers because of right shoulder soreness.—
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Each goblet is made from break-, chip-, and scratch-resistant glass, and while they’re designed for wine, they can also be used for drinking water, juice, or iced coffee.—
Verb
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The constant friction of material rubbing on material wears the clothing out faster, so when there is more time, as in a regular or deep clean cycle, the garment fibers can wear down faster.—
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The events occurred in and around the lawless border of Venezuela and Colombia, where spies, smugglers and gun runners rub shoulders and distrust their own shadow.—
Verb
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Stokes, who seldom completes a five-Test series these days, had dragged his creaking, aching body through almost five full matches of hard, hot, energy-sapping cricket, like scraping butter over too much bread, but somehow soldiering on.—
-
Restaurant staff scrape uneaten food from plates into a compost bin.—
Verb
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She’d been awakened by their puppy, and had been annoyed at Ryan, who hadn’t gotten up early with the dog like he was supposed to.—
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Kelce was evaluated for a concussion in the locker room, and he was annoyed at having to answer the questions that are part of the test.—
Verb
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Meyer, meanwhile, wore a white graphic tee with black mini shorts and a Thom Browne top coat, W reported.—
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He was last seen wearing a red and black plaid shirt, dark jeans and brown steel-toe boots, police said.—
Noun
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Hearing the house creak in the recordings was important, Auerbach said.—
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Owners at the condo, where many units sold for upwards of $20 million, have complained of leaks, creaks, and elevators that break frequently, in one case trapping a resident for more than an hour.—
Verb
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Wyman filed for divorce the year after, and the year after that, Reagan met Nancy Davis, who would become his wife until his death in 2004.—
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The Ohio Township Association and Ohio Chamber of Commerce filed briefs supporting Miami Township.—
Verb
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That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
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Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.—
Cite this Entry
“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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