grainier; grainiest
Synonyms of grainynext
1
: resembling or having some characteristic of grain : not smooth or fine
2
of a photograph : appearing to be composed of grain-like particles
graininess noun

Examples of grainy in a Sentence

The mustard has a grainy texture. grainy sand kept it off the rankings as one of the nation's best beaches
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.
Guests first move through a dim corridor lined with towering stacks of CRT televisions flickering with grainy studio footage, ambient static and fragmented vocals. Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 12 May 2026 The Forum, ahead of Super Bowl LVI in 2022, according to the grainy snaps published Monday by TMZ. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026 In January, the clothing label Guess launched a rebrand campaign composed of lowercase copy in acid-yellow type over grainy selfie-style photos; the Guess logo is printed over patchy white highlights, as if someone had hastily scratched out the surface beneath the word in Photoshop. Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 6 May 2026 One of the most popular and versatile of all Mexican cheeses, cotija is a grainy, salty cheese that adds a tangy, umami kick to everything from avocado toast to a plate of chilaquiles. Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for grainy

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grainy was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Grainy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grainy. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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