1
obsolete
: sand
2
a
: loose rounded fragments of rock
b
: a stratum or deposit of gravel
also
: a surface covered with gravel
a gravel road
3
: small calculi in the kidneys and urinary bladder
: gravelly sense 2
—used of the human voice
Examples of gravel in a Sentence
Verb
managed to gravel his opponent in the debate by focusing on atypical examples
Adjective
after his bout with laryngitis, he had a terribly gravel voice
Recent Examples on the Web
Tony Leopardo, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
Before the match, dark blue Lozano jerseys were the most popular choice, by far, of the fans who gathered in the gravel parking lots.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 May 2025
Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
If all goes to plan, the little robot will deploy from Resilience on the lunar surface and collect some dirt and gravel under a contract with NASA.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 24 July 2024
My gravel bike is a Trek Checkpoint ALR 5, which weighs about 25 lb, so the extra 7 pounds on the Turbo Creo 2 Comp didn't seem like a big deal.
—Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for gravel
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Noun
The terrain response system in the 2025 Range Rover Sport is an advanced technology that optimizes the vehicle’s performance on various surfaces, including gravel, grass, snow, mud, or in ruts, sand and rocks.
—Tony Leopardo, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
Before the match, dark blue Lozano jerseys were the most popular choice, by far, of the fans who gathered in the gravel parking lots.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 May 2025
Verb
Riding The Volt Connect Electric Bike My wife and I live in an area with steep inclines, smooth roads, gravelled tracks and lush Scottish scenery.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
If all goes to plan, the little robot will deploy from Resilience on the lunar surface and collect some dirt and gravel under a contract with NASA.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Every Tuesday evening cyclists depart downtown at 5 P.M. and the pace ramps up to eye-popping speeds as the peloton spins along the paved and gravel roads outside town.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 24 July 2024
My gravel bike is a Trek Checkpoint ALR 5, which weighs about 25 lb, so the extra 7 pounds on the Turbo Creo 2 Comp didn't seem like a big deal.
—Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for gravel
Cite this Entry
“Gravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravel. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gravel
1 of 3 noun
grav·el
ˈgrav-əl 
: small pieces of rock and pebbles larger than grains of sand
gravel
2 of 3 adjectivegravel
3 of 3 verb
graveled or gravelled; graveling or gravelling
ˈgrav-(ə-)liŋ
: to cover or spread with gravel
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