rate 1 of 3

1
as in quality
degree of excellence not being of the first rate, these apples are usually sold as food for livestock

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Relevance
2
as in ratio
the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things the exchange rate was 10 pesos to the dollar when we visited Mexico

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rate

2 of 3

verb (1)

1
as in to deserve
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment) how does a summer intern rate a new computer when I've been told to make do with this clunker?

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2
3
as in to rank
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes a restaurant that consistently rates high in all the standard categories

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4
as in to consider
to think of in a particular way I would rate her my best friend; after all, she's always been there when I needed her

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rate

3 of 3

verb (2)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rate are appraise, assess, estimate, evaluate, and value. While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

When might appraise be a better fit than rate?

The words appraise and rate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

When could assess be used to replace rate?

Although the words assess and rate have much in common, assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

When is estimate a more appropriate choice than rate?

The meanings of estimate and rate largely overlap; however, estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

When is it sensible to use evaluate instead of rate?

The synonyms evaluate and rate are sometimes interchangeable, but evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

How do value and appraise relate to one another, in the sense of rate?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

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 rate
Noun
When the aircraft maker reports Wednesday morning, delivery rates will be a key watch item, particularly for the 787 wide-body model and the narrow-body 737 Max, the latter of which the Federal Aviation Administration recently allowed Boeing to increase production to 42 per month. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025 That’s nearly quadruple the overall rate of inflation. Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
Five analysts rate it a sell and only three call the stock a hold, according to FactSet data. Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025 In December, as part of a social media content dump, he was asked to rate a Starbucks drink. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rate
Noun
  • The organization’s Green Heart Project, which studies the impact of better air quality on heart disease through urban greening, has found that increasing the number of trees and shrubs in an area can create lower levels of a blood marker associated with inflammation.
    Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This has extremely important implications for what the r-ratio (the tensor-to-scalar ratio) of the gravitational waves produced by inflation would be.
    Big Think, Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Since orange trees are heavy feeders, look for a fertilizer that contains more nitrogen, such as a 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) ratio, as well as micro nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and iron.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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