granite

noun

gran·​ite ˈgra-nət How to pronounce granite (audio)
Synonyms of granitenext
1
: a very hard natural igneous rock formation of visibly crystalline texture formed essentially of quartz and orthoclase or microcline and used especially for building and for monuments
2
: unyielding firmness or endurance
… the cold granite of Puritan formalism.—V. L. Parrington
granitelike
ˈgra-nət-ˌlīk How to pronounce granite (audio)
adjective
granitic
gra-ˈni-tik How to pronounce granite (audio)
adjective
granitoid
ˈgra-nə-ˌtȯid How to pronounce granite (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of granite

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of granite in a Sentence

had the granite to see the project out to the end
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Picture Tahoe City’s middle-aged men, wide-eyed in the should-I-pee hour, shadow-climbing the same fifty-seven moves on the same granite face. — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 While style varies by winery, techniques to add depth and complexity to Albariño include long aging on the lees and fermentation or maturation in wood, granite, or concrete vessels. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026 Its rationalist pedigree can also be perceived in the careful selection of materials and finishes, with an abundance of Italian marble and granite, a common theme of the design which reflects the aesthetics of the façade. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026 Two paths — one reaching 40 feet above the ground and a lower route — take participants around the park and through a separate section of the ropes course before returning to the granite wall. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for granite

Word History

Etymology

Italian granito, from past participle of granire to granulate, from grano grain, from Latin granum

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of granite was in 1646

Rhymes for granite

See All Rhymes for granite

Browse Nearby Words

granita
granite
granite blue
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Granite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/granite. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

granite

noun
gran·​ite ˈgran-ət How to pronounce granite (audio)
1
: a very hard rock that can be polished and is used in buildings and monuments
2
: unyielding firmness (as of character, will, or opinion)

More from Merriam-Webster on granite

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about granite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All