easy
The old photo looked grainy.
What does Grainy mean?
Grainy means rough, gritty, or speckled with tiny particles.
Dictionary definition
Rough, sandy, gritty, or speckled in texture or appearance, as if made of tiny grains.
Example sentences
Grainy in a sentence
medium
The sauce felt grainy instead of smooth.
hard
A grainy image may lose detail because it has many tiny specks.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice grainy in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Grainy
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does grainy mean?
Grainy describes a texture or image that has tiny rough particles or specks.
Practice 2
Which sentence uses grainy correctly?
A grainy video may look speckled or unclear.
Practice 3
Which word is most opposite to grainy?
Smooth means even and not rough, the opposite of grainy.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
Pronunciation coach
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Grainy
Voice settings
Sounds like
gray · nee · strongest beat: gray
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordGrainy.
Partadjective.
MeaningGrainy means rough, gritty, or speckled with tiny particles.
ExampleExample: The old photo looked grainy.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- gray · nee
- Strongest beat
- gray
- Ending
- nee
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on gray.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Grainy
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice grainy synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The granular sugar felt rough between my fingers," then compare close word choices. Practice grainy synonyms.
Word family
Grainy word family
Base word
grainy
adjective
grainier
More grainy.
adjective
grainiest
Most grainy.
noun
grain
A tiny seed or particle.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Grainy
Hint for students
Grainy means rough, gritty, or speckled with tiny particles.
Common mix-up
Grainy does not always mean rough. In some sentences, it means gritty or speckled with tiny particles.
Try it in class or at home
Write two short sentences that use grainy in different ways. Underline the clue words that show which meaning is being used. Example: The sauce felt grainy instead of smooth. Clue words: smooth, sauce, felt. Ask: Which meaning of grainy does my sentence show?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to compare meanings of grainy in this model sentence: "The sauce felt grainy instead of smooth." Which meaning fits, and what context clues prove it?
Learning activities
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