1
: of inferior grade or quality
2
: being near that extreme of a specified range which is lowest, least intense, least serious, or least competent
a low-grade fever
a low-grade infection

Examples of low-grade in a Sentence

plumbing fixtures that were made out of low-grade materials
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.
What the narrator has to get away from is the assortment of low-grade humiliations and condescending attitudes she is confronted with every day while clocked in at the restaurant. Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025 And after a 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde announced the latest blow to his starting staff, saying Zach Eflin would be shut down for a week with a low-grade lat strain. Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology examined how eating fresh mangoes affected inflammation and insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese adults with low-grade chronic inflammation, as reported by SWNS. Khloe Quill, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025 Also, persistent low-grade stress (think financial insecurity, fear of layoffs, inflation, or geo-political instability) is just as harmful, if not more, than short periods of high stress. Myisha Battle, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for low-grade

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of low-grade was in 1877

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Low-grade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/low-grade. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

low-grade

adjective
ˈlō-ˈgrād
1
: of poor grade or quality
2
: being near that end of a range which is lowest, weakest, or least able
a low-grade fever

Medical Definition

low-grade

adjective
: being near that extreme of a specified range which is lowest, least intense, or least competent
a low-grade fever
a low-grade infection
compare high-grade
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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