low-grade

adjective

ˈlō-ˈgrād How to pronounce low-grade (audio)
Synonyms of low-gradenext
1
: of inferior grade or quality
2
: being near that extreme of a specified range which is lowest, least intense, least serious, or least competent
a low-grade fever
a low-grade infection

Synonyms of low-grade

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of low-grade in a Sentence

plumbing fixtures that were made out of low-grade materials
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Voya says its fuel can be made from low-grade scrap aluminum, giving the system a potential route to turn an abundant waste material into a source of firm electricity. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026 Grade 2 oligodendrogliomas, like the one Philipps was diagnosed with, are considered low-grade tumors that tend to grow slowly and typically respond well to treatment. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Except for patients with low-grade disease that’s unlikely to turn deadly, the whole gland gets removed, or irradiated. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 21 Aug. 2026 Bit by bit, low-grade systemic inflammation attacks cells all over the body, causing them to malfunction. — Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for low-grade

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of low-grade was in 1877

Rhymes for low-grade

See All Rhymes for low-grade

Browse Nearby Words

Low German
low-grade
low ground
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Low-grade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/low-grade. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

low-grade

adjective
ˈlō-ˈgrād
1
: of poor grade or quality
2
: being near that end of a range which is lowest, weakest, or least able
a low-grade fever

Medical Definition

low-grade

adjective
ˈlō-ˈgrād How to pronounce low-grade (audio)
: being near that extreme of a specified range which is lowest, least intense, or least competent
a low-grade fever
a low-grade infection
compare high-grade
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All