granite

noun

gran·​ite ˈgra-nət How to pronounce granite (audio)
Synonyms of granitenext
1
: a very hard natural igneous rock formation of visibly crystalline texture formed essentially of quartz and orthoclase or microcline and used especially for building and for monuments
2
: unyielding firmness or endurance
… the cold granite of Puritan formalism.—V. L. Parrington
granitelike
ˈgra-nət-ˌlīk How to pronounce granite (audio)
adjective
granitic
gra-ˈni-tik How to pronounce granite (audio)
adjective
granitoid
ˈgra-nə-ˌtȯid How to pronounce granite (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of granite

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Examples of granite in a Sentence

had the granite to see the project out to the end
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.
Built in 1900 and fully renovated, the 1,750-square-foot house had a long kitchen with an induction stove and black granite counters, a spacious living and dining room, big windows and a cozy front porch. — Gabe Castro-Root, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Sometimes Yulianna and her mother lay flowers on her father’s grave up the road from the house, a granite memorial etched with images of him. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 Aspens and evergreens line the trail, which leads to a large granite rock outcropping and a steep staircase. — Abigail Bliss, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026 Qubbat Duris borrows its name from a 13th-century monument near Baalbek, in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, where fragments of Roman limestone sarcophagi are layered atop eight granite columns from centuries prior. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for granite

Word History

Etymology

Italian granito, from past participle of granire to granulate, from grano grain, from Latin granum

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of granite was in 1646

Rhymes for granite

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Browse Nearby Words

granita
granite
granite blue
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Cite this Entry

“Granite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/granite. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

granite

noun
gran·​ite ˈgran-ət How to pronounce granite (audio)
1
: a very hard rock that can be polished and is used in buildings and monuments
2
: unyielding firmness (as of character, will, or opinion)

More from Merriam-Webster on granite

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about granite

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