rasps 1 of 2

noun

plural of rasp
as in scratches
a harsh grating sound the rusted lock opened with a rasp

Synonyms & Similar Words

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rasps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rasp
1
as in files
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
as in scrapes
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in annoys
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in wears
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasps
  1. scratches
  2. files
  3. scrapes
  4. annoys
  5. wears
  6. creaks
  7. rubs
  8. bugs
Noun
  • According to the warrant affidavit, Flagge said the girl appeared fine but had some scratches on her.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Rabies is a nearly 100% fatal zoonotic virus spread by bites, scratches and oral secretions (saliva) from infected animals.
    — Eva Flowe October 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of scratches
Verb
  • Clancy’s defense files an emergency appeal to further question the holdout juror, but the appeal is denied.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The audience files in quietly, takes their seats, and applauds with almost formal restraint when Olivia and William emerge.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of files
Verb
  • Amazon alleged that Muse stores customer credentials and scrapes account data, among other issues.
    — Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
  • To identify them, Loti scrapes some 600 million online assets a day.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of scrapes
Verb
  • What annoys me is that this whole thing is called Roaring 20th, so why was there not a flapper and Great Gatsby theme?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That very same thing is what annoys Liz about Charles 500 years later.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of annoys
Verb
  • To power paraglide, Hutzler wears an engine propeller backpack called a paramotor, which can typically cost between $8,000 and $9,000.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In a particularly Ethan Hunt-ish twist, the actor wears a rubbery disguise—a potbellied suit, a scraggly gray comb-over, and a smattering of old-guy makeup.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of wears
Noun
  • Dillon put together another great week of work, falling forward, finding creaks of daylight in the gaps created by a less-than-ideal second-team offensive line.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The durable metal is also rust-resistant, and reviews say that despite its metal frame, creaks and squeaks are minimal.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026
Definition of creaks
Verb
  • Achord stands behind Smack each time and, before one kick, rubs his belly with his other hand over his head as some sort of signal.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But during the following two years, Van Lith saw only gigantic tracks and adrenaline-inspiring antler rubs that had been left behind by the buck of his dreams.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of rubs
Verb
  • Irwin is uncertain if the second infestation of bed bugs last weekend were ones that weren’t caught the first time, or if a person brought new bed bugs in.
    — Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Not too much bugs him, but he sometimes is annoyed by his baby sister and doesn’t trust people who put pineapple on their pizza.
    — Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of bugs
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.

Browse Nearby Words

rasping
rasps
raspy
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Cite this Entry

“Rasps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasps. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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