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“Grate” or “Great”

grate / great are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

grate g·r·EY·t

  • nouna frame of iron bars to hold a fire.
  • nouna harsh rasping sound made by scraping something.
  • nouna barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air.
  • verbfurnish with a grate.
  • verbreduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface.
  • verbmake a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together.

great g·r·EY·t

  • nouna person who has achieved distinction and honor in some field.
  • adjectiverelatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind.
  • adjectiveof major significance or importance.
  • adjectiveremarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“grate”

  • …Baths Foundry; the Masbro’ Stove Grate Co belonging to Messrs. Perrot,…

“great”

  • …Moors and Mountains, they have great strength that allows them to…
  • …King of Denmark, and the Great Powers of Europe confirmed in…
  • …Smith Carpet Company and Canada's Great Plains Oil.
  • …music and approach of jazz great John Coltrane".
  • …the risks of a collision; Great Britain, though the Danes rejected…
  • …to foreign powers such as Great Britain, France and Russia, who…
  • …South Shetland 1819-1826: Part I", Great Circle'', Vol.7, No.1, pp.
  • …and on August 2, 1850 Great Britain, France, Russia and Norway-Sweden…
  • …guarantees given by France and Great Britain in the same year…
  • This was supported by Great Britain and Russia.

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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