1
2
as in rates
degree of excellence
only motor oil of the highest grade for his fancy sports car
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in types
one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic
there are various grades of wool to consider when selecting a fabric
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared
that painting just doesn't make the grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in slopes
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon
the hill rises at a seven percent grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in ranks
to arrange or assign according to type
grade these apples "extra fancy" and those "fancy"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in is
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes
believe it or not, that music grades pretty high with young teens
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 grades
Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Most of the schools nationwide had failing grades (166), and only 11 received grades of C or higher.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Keep in mind these grades are all based on fantasy-scoring relevance.
—Kc Joyner, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Today, the assessments in math and reading are given every two years to a broad sample of students in fourth and eighth grades; 12th-graders receive them every four years.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Nearly 80% of all grades awarded to Yale undergraduates in 2023 were an A or A-.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Only 35% of all students in the K-12 grades met or exceeded grade-level standards in math and reading, with huge performance gaps between Latinos and Blacks at one end and Whites and Asians at the other.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
Her son’s middling grades infuriated her.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Approximately 39% of CMS schools received A or B performance grades, an increase of 7 percentage points over the 2023-24 school year.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The roster will continuously be tinkered with, but this appears to be the starting point for 2025, and here is how the Miami Herald grades each unit.
—Omar Kelly
august 26, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
Similarly, the focus on literacy needs to expand beyond the early grades and play out in ways that are directly connected to the types of literacy skills students will need to succeed in the long term.
—Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Most of the schools nationwide had failing grades (166), and only 11 received grades of C or higher.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Keep in mind these grades are all based on fantasy-scoring relevance.
—Kc Joyner, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Today, the assessments in math and reading are given every two years to a broad sample of students in fourth and eighth grades; 12th-graders receive them every four years.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Nearly 80% of all grades awarded to Yale undergraduates in 2023 were an A or A-.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Only 35% of all students in the K-12 grades met or exceeded grade-level standards in math and reading, with huge performance gaps between Latinos and Blacks at one end and Whites and Asians at the other.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
Her son’s middling grades infuriated her.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Approximately 39% of CMS schools received A or B performance grades, an increase of 7 percentage points over the 2023-24 school year.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
With the final stretch coming up in September, here's how FanGraphs grades each team's chances for postseason seeding.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The roster will continuously be tinkered with, but this appears to be the starting point for 2025, and here is how the Miami Herald grades each unit.
—Omar Kelly
august 26, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grades
Noun
-
The fair also will feature two stages of music, an entertainment dome, mouthwatering festival food and plenty of cold beer.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Sep. 2025
-
What initially led you into podcasting, and what were those early stages like?—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In response to the flagging labor market, the Fed is expected to cut interest rates when policymakers meet next week.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
-
That could accelerate inflation and could also push up longer-term interest rates, such as those on mortgages and car loans.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Trubetter Foldable Travel Hangers Many standard hotel room closets contain at least one or two hangers, but other types of lodging—like Airbnb, boutique hotels, and hostels—may not have any at all.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
-
What are the two types of waterspouts?—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But Republicans should question their own members who fail in other areas that require adherence to basic standards of conscience and competence.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Align With Compliance Work with your legal team to ensure the policy meets any relevant laws or standards, such as HIPAA in healthcare, GDPR in the EU or other data protection rules.—
Mike Rosen,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The slopes have been planted with pineapples, but nature is also providing the ingredients for her next meal — wild ginger, edible ferns, turmeric, and pandan.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Best Shopping Even off the slopes, Zermatt knows how to do luxury.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Arkansas ranks high as a national leader in the school choice movement, the head of the state's Educational Freedom Accounts program said Thursday, citing standings from several think tanks and advocacy groups.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Kirk, a prominent voice in culture wars on college campuses, hosts a daily radio show and podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, which ranks among the top 10 on Apple News’ list of top podcasts and has a strong Gen Z fan base.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fortunately, there is one way to get that tropical feeling without ever stepping on a plane.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
At this time, there is no data on the containment status of the fire and the cause has yet to be determined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The powers that be explained to me that in the audiobook, there would be no easy way to identify the bees’ chapters, which were designated with italics in the printed version, unless the narrator’s voice changed from female to male.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
In In Farthest Seas, this silence is visual, too, the white of the page surrounding and almost enveloping the brief, revelatory chapters.—
Brian Robert Moore
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grades. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share