1
a
: a level of study in an elementary, middle, or secondary school that is completed by a student during one year
will enter eleventh grade this year
students in the second grade
b
: the students in the same year of study in elementary, middle, or secondary school
The ninth grade is away on a field trip.
c(1)
: a position in a scale of ranks or qualities
Each grade of steel contains sub-divisions corresponding to steels of different yield stress and impact requirements.—
G. D. Taylor
G. D. Taylor
(2)
: a stage in a process
… we should bear in mind that animals displaying early transitional grades of the structure will seldom continue to exist to the present day, for they will have been supplanted by the very process of perfection through natural selection.—Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
d
: a degree of severity in illness
grade III carcinoma
e
: a military or naval rank
To be prepared for burial Claggart's body was delivered to certain petty-officers of his mess. And … the Master-at-arms was committed to the sea with every funeral honor properly belonging to his naval grade.—Herman Melville
Herman Melville… her father being a country clergyman who had never reached a higher grade than that of an archdeacon …—Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope2
a
: a mark indicating a degree of accomplishment in school
earned good grades in school
What was your grade on the math test?
b
: a class of things of the same stage or degree
c
: a standard of food quality
Extra-virgin is the highest grade of olive oil.—Lisa McManus
Lisa McManus3
a
: the degree of inclination of a road or slope
… one track went straight up the steep hill, the other one turned square off to the right, with a very slight grade.—Mark Twain
Mark Twain
also
: a sloping road
The car … toiled up the long, long grades, past Ash Fork, towards Flagstaff, where the forests and quarries are, under the dry, remote skies. —Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
b
: a datum or reference level
especially
: ground level sense 1a
4
: a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding
5
[translation of German Stufe] linguistics
: any of the variants of a root or affix (distinguished by a particular vowel or the absence of any vowel) in the ablaut series of an Indo-European language
6
grades plural
: the elementary school system
graded; grading
1
a
: to assign to a grade or assign a grade to
… Mrs. Granger would be the one grading their spelling tests and their reading tests …—Andrew Clements
Andrew Clements… these students are being graded by the instructor whose methods or information they have reason to question.—Mary Lefkowitz
Mary Lefkowitz
b
: to arrange in grades : sort
Each printing plant sends sample copies of its press run to the color lab, where they are graded for quality.—Robert Neuwirth
Robert Neuwirth
c
: to arrange in a scale or series
2
: to level off to a smooth horizontal or sloping surface
The ground should be graded to direct water flow away from the home.—Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports1
a
: to form a series
b
: blend
Notice that the mud and the sand grade into each other along the sandbar.—Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman
Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman2
: to be of a particular grade
: being, involving, or yielding domestic animals of improved but not pure stock
grade ewes
grade breeding
: walking
plantigrade
Examples of grade in a Sentence
Noun
The fifth grade will perform their annual play this week.
a grade of 90 percent or better
Her grades are up this semester.
an expensive grade of leather
Verb
Students will be graded on their reading ability.
She hasn't finished grading the exams.
How would you grade your meal on a scale from one to five?
The eggs are graded according to size.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dane Brugler, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
These are the mothers and fathers who follow their children to campus—not just metaphorically, with daily texts about grades, outfits, or friendship drama, but physically.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Beyond those metrics, Rafaela also graded as elite defensively in just about every category measured by Statcast.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grade
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.
Noun
An underrated addition in the transfer portal (Auburn) this offseason, Scott had free-agent grades from NFL scouts this summer but is putting draftable-level play on tape in his final college season.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
These are the mothers and fathers who follow their children to campus—not just metaphorically, with daily texts about grades, outfits, or friendship drama, but physically.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
According to the October health inspector reports, most stores received a grade A or B, but many entirely opted out of the county's grading system, but they were still inspected.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Beyond those metrics, Rafaela also graded as elite defensively in just about every category measured by Statcast.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grade
Cite this Entry
“Grade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grade. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grade
1 of 2 verb
graded; grading
1
: to arrange in grades : sort
grade apples
2
: to make level or evenly sloping
grade a highway
3
: to give a grade to
grade a student's performance
4
: to assign to a grade
5
: to form a series having only slight differences
colors that grade into one another
grade
2 of 2 noun1
: position in a scale of rank, quality, or order
the grade of sergeant
leather of the highest grade
2
: a stage, step, or degree in a series, order, or ranking
3
: a class of things that are of the same rank, quality, or order
4
a
: a division of the school course representing a year's work
finished the fourth grade
b
: the pupils in a school division
c
plural
: the elementary school system
teach in the grades
5
: a mark or rating especially of accomplishment in school
a grade of 90 on a test
6
: a standard of quality
government grades for meat
7
: the degree of slope (as of a road or railroad track)
Medical Definition
grade
noun
: a degree of severity of a disease or abnormal condition
a grade III carcinoma
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