ratingen
High (B2)Neutral to Formal; widely used in business, media, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A classification, evaluation, or measurement of quality, standard, or performance.
A numerical or other value assigned to indicate relative standing in a hierarchy, such as a credit score, television audience size, or a ship's classification. Also, the act of assigning such a value.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core concept is hierarchical measurement. Can refer to both the process of evaluating (e.g., 'the rating of bonds') and the result (e.g., 'a five-star rating').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. 'TV ratings' is universal, though the methodology of audience measurement may differ by country.
Connotations
Neutral in both. In finance, 'credit rating' carries the same formal, serious weight.
Frequency
Equally frequent and essential in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[receive/get/obtain] a [adj] rating (from sb)[have/hold] a rating of [number][give/assign/award] a ratingrating for [sth]rating on [a scale]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Go through the roof (of ratings)”
- “Hit a new low (in the ratings)”
- “Top the ratings”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Essential for finance (credit ratings, bond ratings), marketing (customer satisfaction ratings).
Academic
Used in research for measuring variables (e.g., 'Likert scale ratings'), performance evaluations.
Everyday
Common for reviews (hotels, products, films), TV popularity.
Technical
In engineering (e.g., 'power rating'), maritime ('naval rating').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The panel is currently rating the new applications.
American English
- They haven't finished rating the performance reviews yet.
adjective
British English
- The rating system is due for an overhaul.
- He held a rating position in the navy.
American English
- The rating agency issued a warning.
- She works for a credit-rating firm.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The hotel has a good rating.
- I checked the film's rating online.
- The company's credit rating was downgraded.
- The show's ratings have fallen this season.
- Despite critical acclaim, the programme struggled in the overnight ratings.
- To secure the loan, you'll need a favourable rating from the agency.
- The bonds were stripped of their investment-grade rating, triggering a sell-off.
- The nuanced rating scale allowed for a more granular assessment of participant responses.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'rate' + '-ing'. You are actively RATing something, giving it a place on a scale.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUALITY IS HEIGHT (a high rating), MEASUREMENT IS PLACEMENT ON A SCALE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'рейтинг' in all contexts; in maritime/military contexts, 'rating' refers to a sailor's rank, not a score.
- The verb 'to rate' is separate and means 'оценивать'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'rate' and 'rating' interchangeably ('The rate of the hotel' instead of 'The hotel's rating').
- Confusing 'rating' with 'ratio'.
Practice
Quiz
In a nautical context, what does 'rating' most specifically refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'score' is often a direct, usually numerical, result of a test or game. A 'rating' is more typically a classification or evaluation on a defined scale (like stars or letters), often based on multiple criteria.
It is primarily a countable noun (e.g., 'The film received three ratings'). The uncountable form refers to the process or concept (e.g., 'the rating of bonds is complex').
The related verb is 'to rate'. 'Rating' is the present participle/gerund of that verb (e.g., 'I am rating these products'), not a standalone verb with a different meaning.
It typically measures the estimated percentage or number of households/viewers watching a particular television programme, used to set advertising prices.