Meaning & use
granulated
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Made up of small grains or particles rather than a solid lump or a fine powder.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: granulated sugar.
Patterns
- granulated sugar
- granulated garlic
Stir two spoonfuls of granulated sugar into the batter.
The recipe uses granulated garlic instead of fresh cloves.
The cleaner comes as a granulated powder that dissolves in water.
adjectivebefore a nounmedicaltechnical
Having a rough surface made of tiny bumps, as in healing tissue or a textured surface.
Grammar: In medicine and geology, used before nouns like tissue or surface.
Patterns
- granulated tissue
The wound formed granulated tissue as it healed.
The rock had a granulated surface that scratched my palm.
The doctor noted granulated skin around the edge of the burn.
verbtransitive or intransitivetechnical
Past tense and past participle of granulate: to form or break something into small grains.
Grammar: Takes an object when something is made grainy, none when it forms grains itself.
Patterns
- granulate something
The factory granulated the plastic scrap before recycling.
The syrup granulated as it cooled.
They granulated the salt for easier packaging.
Word forms
| base form | granulate |
|---|---|
| third person singular | granulates |
| past tense | granulated |
| -ing form | granulating |
Common combinations
- granulated sugar
- Granulated sugar is the standard for baking.
- granulated garlic
- Add a teaspoon of granulated garlic.
- granulated tissue
- Granulated tissue helps fill in a deep wound.
- finely granulated
- The finely granulated salt poured easily.
- granulated surface
- The granulated surface gripped the shoe.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grainy
- Grainy is more general and can describe photos or texture, while granulated suggests deliberate small grains.
- gritty
- Gritty suggests an unpleasant sandy feel, which granulated does not.
- crystalline
- Crystalline stresses a crystal structure rather than just small pieces.
- powdered
- Powdered means ground much finer than granulated.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: granulated or granular? granulated or powdered?
granulated vs granular
Granular describes anything made of grains, while granulated often describes sugar or a product made into grains on purpose.
granulated vs powdered
Powdered sugar is much finer than granulated sugar.
Practice
Which sugar is the usual choice for sprinkling on top of cookies before baking?
Choose one answer.
Granulated sugar has small crystals that stay visible and crunchy. Powdered sugar is too fine and dissolves, while liquid and candied are not sprinkled grains.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “granulated”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.