rating

noun

rat·​ing ˈrā-tiŋ How to pronounce rating (audio)
1
: a classification according to grade
specifically : a military or naval specialist classification
2
chiefly British : a naval enlisted man
3
a
: relative estimate or evaluation : standing
the school has a good academic rating
b
: an estimate of an individual's or business's credit and responsibility
c
: an estimate of the percentage of the public listening to or viewing a particular radio or television program
4
: a stated operating limit of a machine expressible in power units (such as kilowatts of a direct-current generator) or in characteristics (such as voltage)

Examples of rating in a Sentence

The school has an above-average academic rating. The article compares the fuel-economy ratings of various cars.
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.
The audience rating was only 20% and Rotten Tomatoes didn’t list it in their Top 100 Netflix shows to watch in March 2025. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025 Their net rating is negative with Haliburton on the bench, and since his mid-December surge, Indiana’s net rating swing with Haliburton on vs off the court is about 8.3 points per 100 trips down the floor. Tony East, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 Finney-Smith’s defensive rating of 105.0 ranks first on the Lakers among players who’ve appeared in at least 20 games. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025 Among all forwards who have played at least 45 games this season, Wagner boasts the fourth-best individual defensive rating (105.8), according to NBA.com. Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rating

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rating was in 1702

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Cite this Entry

“Rating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rating. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

rating

noun
rat·​ing
ˈrāt-iŋ
: a position within a grading system
credit rating

More from Merriam-Webster on rating

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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