Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

make the grade

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.78 in modern English

Syllables: make the -grade
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

Example Sentences

"Near-synonym: fit the bill"
"In 1916 the famed Van Sweringen brothers bought their first railroad—the Nickel Plate. . . . This year, as usual, the tarnished Nickel Plate cannot make the grade. In first seven months it lost $2,003,779."
"I read the news today, oh boy About a lucky man who made the grade And though the news was rather sad Well, I just had to laugh"
"In the end, only eight plucky contestants made the grade."
"He quit the role after You Only Live Twice, frustrated by the repetitive plots, but was enticed back after his successor George Lazenby failed to make the grade."

Etymology

Probably from a railway train climbing a length of track sloping uphill (a grade).

Inflected Forms

makes the grade (present, singular) making the grade (participle, present) made the grade (participle, past) made the grade (past)

Phrases

up to par up to snuff

Frequently Paired Words

up to par up to snuff

Synonyms

cut it cut the mustard make the cut measure up pass muster fit the bill

Questions

What does make the grade mean?: To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.
Where does make the grade come from?: Probably from a railway train climbing a length of track sloping uphill (a grade).

How to pronounce make the grade

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