RASP Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

rasp 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rasp

as in scratch

a harsh grating sound the rusted lock opened with a rasp

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rasp

2 of 2

verb

ˈrasp

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Example 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

Unfortunately, Manchis' heroic deed left the dog with damage to her vocal chords, and her bark has shifted into a low rasp, Zarate added to the outlet. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025 But then Davis meets up with his boss, Money, played by Nick Nolte with an old man’s jagged rasp as dramatic as his wry middle-aged intensity used to be. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026

Verb

Hines and Pidgeon give the woman a choreography, the dramatic toss of the hair, the hips gone concave, the Marlboro rasp in her voice. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 Negron, in particular, completely throws himself into it, rasping and howling and wailing out ad-libs. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for rasp

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp

Noun

Made-from-scratch cheesecake doesn’t seem so hard when made as cupcakes where there’s no water bath, springform pan, and long chilling time required.

— Brennan Long, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
The report's authors said the case highlights the importance of seeking immediate medical evaluation after any direct contact with a bat, even if there is no visible bite or scratch.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of scratch

Verb

An agitator is a post in the machine’s center that twists so the clothes can rub against each other, while impellers have a cone or disc on the bottom of the drum that spins.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2026
Thyme When their essential oils are released and rubbed onto the skin, thyme plants, including creeping thyme, can help keep mosquitoes away.

— Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 5 July 2026

Definition of rub

Verb

When a user asked boat-botany why New Reddit isn’t scraped as often as Old Reddit, the Reddit employee pointed to a comment by another user.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with ⅓ cup sour cream in 2 additions (about 2½ tablespoons each), scraping down bowl as needed.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026

Definition of scrape

Verb

Paraguay’s tactics, seeking to frustrate and disrupt France, had annoyed Henry as well as the current team and coach.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Others are annoyed that its ambiguous language will create confusion over how — or if — the state will enforce compliance.

— Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026

Definition of annoy

Verb

But on Wednesday, the day after Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 to secure its fourth consecutive World Cup victory, the fan and his wife, Angélica Arias, walked to the plaza wearing two identical caps.

— Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
And even though Georgia law does not require this, all cyclists and scooterists should wear helmets.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of wear

Noun

Prairie grasses and bonnet strings whip in the wind as the creak of wagon wheels carries across the rippling grassland.

— Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 22 June 2026
Iwerks worked with Bonnie Wild, a sound mixer whose credits include multiple Marvel and Star Wars projects, to piece together all of the sound from scratch — every creak of metal, every footstep and hammer, and every tractor driving across concrete.

— Matthew Jacobs, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026

Definition of creak

Verb

The Guard's deployment to Memphis has been subject to a lawsuit, filed by a group of Democratic officials from the local and state level.

— Lucas Finton, USA Today, 6 July 2026
In the last year, Actor’s Equity has filed at least seven labor complaints against Casa Bonita with the National Labor Relations Board for retaliation and refusal to bargain.

— Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 5 July 2026