grind

/ˈɡɹaɪnd/

//ˈɡɹaɪnd// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"grind" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“grind” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,795 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,795
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

grind vs grip
60% similar
grind vs grit
60% similar
grind vs guild
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for grind
PropertyValue
Headwordgrind
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɡɹaɪnd/
Letters5
Frequency rank#7,795
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “grind” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). grind lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for grind is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡɹaɪnd/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,795 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 18 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for grind, with forms such as "ggrind", "girnd", and "gridn". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "grip", "grit", "guild", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English grynden, from Old English grindan, from Proto-West Germanic *grindan, from Proto-Germanic *grindaną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian gríende, griene (“to grind, mill”), Dutch grinden (“to grind”, rare) and grind (“gravel, shingle”), Alban… The correct English form is grind, spelled G-R-I-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion.
  2. 2
    To shape with the force of friction.
  3. 3
    To remove material by rubbing with an abrasive surface.
  4. 4
    To become ground, pulverized, or polished by friction.
  5. 5
    To move with much difficulty or friction; to grate.
  6. 6
    To slide the flat portion of a skateboard or snowboard across an obstacle such as a railing.
  7. 7
    To oppress, hold down or weaken.
  8. 8
    To rotate the hips erotically.
  9. 9
    To dance in a sexually suggestive way with both partners in very close proximity, often pressed against each other.
  10. 10
    To rub one's body against another's in a sexual way; to frottage.
  11. 11
    To repeat a task a large number of times in a row to achieve a specific goal.
  12. 12
    To operate by turning a crank.
  13. 13
    To produce mechanically and repetitively as if by turning a crank.
  14. 14
    To automatically format and indent code.
  15. 15
    To eat.
  16. 16
    To instill through repetitive teaching.
  17. 17
    To work or study hard; to hustle or drudge.
  18. 18
    To annoy or irritate (a person); to grind one's gears.

Etymology

From Middle English grynden, from Old English grindan, from Proto-West Germanic *grindan, from Proto-Germanic *grindaną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian gríende, griene (“to grind, mill”), Dutch grinden (“to grind”, rare) and grind (“gravel, shingle”), Albanian grind (“to brawl, fight”).

This word in other languages

moler(Español)moudre(Français)mahlen(Deutsch)moer(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggrind,girnd,gridn,grindd,grinnd,grnid,grrind,rgind

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of grind - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ggrind1girnd2gridn2grindd1grinnd1grnid2grrind1rgind2
Edit distance from "grind"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "grind"?
"grind" is spelled G-R-I-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɹaɪnd/.
What does "grind" mean?
As a verb, "grind" means: To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion.
What words are commonly confused with "grind"?
"grind" is commonly confused with "grip", "grit", "guild". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "grind"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "grind" is /ˈɡɹaɪnd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "grind"?
From Middle English grynden, from Old English grindan, from Proto-West Germanic *grindan, from Proto-Germanic *grindaną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian gríende, griene (“to grind, mill”), Dutch grinden (“to grind”, rare) and grind (“gravel, shingl... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “grind”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is G-R-I-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡɹaɪnd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “grip” - see the side-by-side comparison. grind vs grip
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list