VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

rated

adjective, verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈreɪtɪd/
US/ˈreɪtɪd/

“rated” is a form of “rate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Given a score or grade showing how good, safe or suitable something is.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: 'a highly rated school', 'the film is well rated'.

    Patterns

    • highly rated
    • well rated
    • top-rated
    • rated as something

    She studies at a highly rated university in the north.

    This vacuum cleaner is the top-rated model in its price range.

    The restaurant is rated as one of the best in the city.

  2. adjectivenot comparable

    Designed or considered suitable for a particular age group, especially films and games.

    Grammar: Usually followed by a noun phrase with 'for': 'rated for children'.

    Patterns

    • rated for someone
    • rated PG-13
    • an age-rated film

    The movie is rated for audiences over sixteen.

    Games must be clearly age-rated before they go on sale.

  3. verbtransitive

    Past tense and past participle of 'rate': judged or gave a score to something.

    Grammar: This is the -ed form of the verb 'rate'; the base form is 'rate'.

    Patterns

    • rated something as something
    • rated something highly

    Critics rated the sequel higher than the original.

    Voters rated the mayor poorly after the scandal.

Word forms

base formrate
third person singularrates
present participlerating
past tenserated
past participlerated

Common combinations

highly rated
He is a highly rated young goalkeeper.
top-rated
This is our top-rated hotel in the region.
well rated
The course is well rated by former students.
rated for
The app is rated for users aged twelve and over.
rated as
The bridge is rated as structurally sound.

Synonyms and how they differ

ranked
Focuses on position in a list or order, not on a score or grade.
graded
Often used for work or produce sorted by quality, such as eggs or exams.
evaluated
More formal; stresses the process of judging rather than the result.

Opposites

unrated

Word family

rate verb
To judge the value or quality of something.
rate noun
A measure, speed or price.
rating noun
A score or classification given to something.
rating noun
The number of people watching or listening to a program.

Commonly confused: rated or rate? rated or ratio?

rated vs rate

'Rate' is the base verb or a noun; 'rated' is the past form or an adjective meaning 'given a score'.

rated vs ratio

A ratio is a numerical relationship between two amounts, not a score or grade.

Practice

Choose the best word: 'The documentary is ______ as one of the best of the year.'

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “rated”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words