grade

grade — noun

1. a step in a ranked system that tells you about the quality, size, importance, or

1.nounB2
Definition

a step in a ranked system that tells you about the quality, size, importance, or status of an item or person

Example

The hotel offers first-grade service to all its guests.

collocation: first-grade / top-grade

Elena's wool was sorted into different grades before being sold at the market.

Common collocations
  • first-grade
  • top-grade
  • high-grade
  • low-grade
  • grade of beef
  • grade of steel
Synonyms
  • level

    more general; grade implies a ranked position within a classification system

  • rank

    focuses on official position in a hierarchy, often military or organizational

  • class

    suggests a group sharing the same quality standard, as in 'first-class cabin'

Grammar Patterns

grade + of + noun

adjective + grade

2. a letter or number that a teacher awards for a test or homework, showing how wel

2.nounB1
Definition

a letter or number that a teacher awards for a test or homework, showing how well the student performed

Example

Lara studied hard and got a high grade on the biology final.

get + grade + on + [test]

The teacher will return the graded homework with a letter grade from A to F.

Common collocations
  • get a grade
  • receive a grade
  • good grade
  • poor grade
  • passing grade
  • failing grade
  • straight A grades
  • grade point average
Synonyms
  • mark

    more common in British English; same meaning in education

  • score

    often used for individual test items or points rather than overall letter grade

  • rating

    broader; used for products, films, or services, not just academic work

Grammar Patterns

get/receive + grade

adjective + grade

grade + in + subject

Usage Note

Often used with possessive determiners: 'my grades', 'her grade'. Common in academic contexts; 'mark' is more frequent in British English for the same meaning.

Common Mistakes

I got good points on the test.
I got a good grade on the test.
In educational contexts, 'grade' is used for overall performance, not 'points'.

3. a school year or level that children of the same age are placed in within the US

3.nounA2
Definition

a school year or level that children of the same age are placed in within the US education system

Example

Tuan's younger sister just started first grade this September.

Students in the fifth grade learn about the history of their country.

in + [ordinal] + grade

Common collocations
  • first grade
  • second grade
  • third grade
  • grade level
  • grade school
  • grade class
Synonyms
  • year

    used in British and some international school systems instead of 'grade'

  • form

    older term used in some British private schools

Grammar Patterns

ordinal + grade

in + ordinal + grade

Usage Note

Primarily used in the US school system. In the UK, 'year' is used instead (e.g. 'Year 3' instead of 'third grade').

Common Mistakes

She is in grade 5.
She is in the fifth grade.' or 'She is in 5th grade.
Ordinal numbers and definite article are required in standard US usage.

4. the amount by which a road, railway track, or other surface slopes away from the

4.noun
Definition

the amount by which a road, railway track, or other surface slopes away from the horizontal

Example

The mountain road has a steep grade, so drivers must use a low gear.

collocation: steep grade / gentle grade

Engineers measured the grade of the railway before the construction work could begin.

Common collocations
  • steep grade
  • gentle grade
  • grade of the road
  • grade of the track
Synonyms
  • slope

    more common and general; grade is more technical, used for roads and railways

  • gradient

    more formal; used especially in British English and mathematics

  • incline

    focuses on the upward direction of the slope

Grammar Patterns

adjective + grade

grade of + noun

Usage Note

More technical and formal than 'slope'. Common in civil engineering and road construction contexts.

Idioms

make the grade

idiom

to reach the required standard of quality or performance; to succeed in what is expected of you

Nia trained six days a week to make the grade for the national swimming team.

Not every new recruit makes the grade during the company's six-month training program.

be above/beyond somebody's pay grade

idiom

A situation or decision that is too important or difficult for a person to handle because of their position or knowledge.

Mina knew the budget issue was above her pay grade.

Is this legal question beyond your pay grade, Officer Lee?

grade — verb

Word family

  • grader
    nounB2
  • graded
    adjectiveB2
  • grading
    nounC1
  • gradation
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words express evaluation of quality or performance, but they differ in context and scope. 'Grade' is the most specific to formal education — it refers to the overall letter or number a teacher assigns to a student's work or course performance ('She earned straight A grades'). 'Mark' is the British English equivalent and is also used in some international school systems ('He got full marks on the exam'). 'Score' is narrower in range: it typically refers to the number of points earned on an individual test or game rather than a cumulative evaluation ('The score on the reading section was 28 out of 30'). 'Rating' is the broadest term and applies to non-academic contexts such as films, hotels, or customer reviews ('The hotel received a five-star rating'). In everyday use, a student asks 'What grade did you get?' about a course outcome, while 'What was your score?' fits a single quiz or round.

grade ↗markscore ↗rating ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • grade level
  • grade point average
  • grade school
  • grade boundary
  • grade inflation

Phrases

  • by the grade
  • at grade level

Prepositions

  • grade in (a subject)
  • grade on (a test or assignment)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'grade' comes from Latin 'gradus', meaning a step or degree. It entered English through French 'grade' in the 16th century, originally referring to a step or stage in a process. The educational sense developed in the early 1800s in the United States, and the meaning of a sloping surface arose from the idea of a road rising step by step.