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
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
The engine rasps and rumbles right up to the tachometer’s 7,000-rpm redline—and beyond, in fact, since peak power arrives at 7,500 rpm.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Nick Miller, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Marcus Rashford’s rasping long-range strike in the eighth minute and a glaring miss from the prolific Haaland from barely two meters out.
—Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Noun
Using a rasp grater such as a Microplane, finely zest the lemon into the bowl and gently toss the ingredients to combine.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
The engine rasps and rumbles right up to the tachometer’s 7,000-rpm redline—and beyond, in fact, since peak power arrives at 7,500 rpm.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
Nicolae Stanciu scored one of the best goals of the early stages for Romania, his rasping strike against Ukraine ultimately proving a significant factor in them winning Group E. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, erstwhile transfer-gossip column stalwart, was probably Serbia’s best player at the tournament.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
City trailed 1-0 at halftime after Marcus Rashford’s rasping long-range strike in the eighth minute and a glaring miss from the prolific Haaland from barely two meters out.
—Steve Douglas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
-
Instead of developing its own native system from scratch, Renault uses a Google operating system.—
Trinity Francis,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Writing your own code (from scratch, at least,) has become quaint.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Cats can rub against concrete to mark their territory and feel more secure because the scent lingers on the material longer than on smoother surfaces.—
Kelli Bender,
People.com,
23 July 2025
-
Again, once the Field School staff restrained the shark, the team of amateurs got to work quickly and efficiently, with the only mishap being a person who rubbed their fingers the wrong way against the shark skin and got an abrasion that drew a bit of blood.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
Gently scrape away any hardened material with a butter knife.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
-
There are 616 McDonald's restaurants in Ohio, according to the web scraping tool ScrapeHero.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
That acquisition annoyed shareholders and customers alike, with investors taking issue with the fact that it was structured to avoid a vote.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
25 July 2025
-
Meanwhile, be patient with daily contacts, especially siblings and relatives who might annoy you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
John tried physical therapy and wearing a brace, but the spine kept worsening.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
23 July 2025
-
Sharda, the immigration judge assigned to handle juvenile dockets in Phoenix Immigration Courts, looked imposing, seated behind a desk on an elevated platform, wearing a black robe.—
Nicol León,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
The dim shake of her flashlight on the wall, the creak of the floor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2025
-
Like any old building, Larkin Lodge has creaks and drafts, but Emily thinks there’s more going on.—
Gabino Iglesias,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
His family is filing a wrongful death suit against the park, and their lawyer, Esther Avalos (Nicola Correia-Damude), visits Turner and Jill alike, sniffing around for information about his disappearance.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
20 July 2025
-
In May, Jackson filed a request for a restraining order in L.A. County Superior Court against Burgin, 21, alleging domestic violence.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
If things were in fact bugged during the Contest Mode run, a limited-time offering, that’s going to be something if a disaster to admit.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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