1
as in raw
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining
a sizable spill of crude oil along a coastline is the worst kind of environmental disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in primitive
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development
the crude stone tools that those prehistoric peoples used
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3
as in vulgar
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
crude jokes can be considered sexual harassment
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4
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste
any discussion of one's money is considered crude by the club's blue-blooded members
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5
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a crude hut that was constructed by some shipwrecked sailors
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
Adjective
-
School is the crucible where raw vitality encounters the collective will to impose order and control but also to bring cultural richness to lives that might otherwise remain inhibited and crude.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026 -
Gardeners frequently incorporate raw manure in the fall or composted manure in the spring to naturally boost soil nutrients.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For example, synthetic blastoids develop a blastocoel cavity and the three main cell types (epiblast, trophectoderm, and primitive endoderm) within one week, just like natural blastocysts.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
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There are nine primitive, tent-only sites without electric access.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One day, Dahlstrom made a vulgar joke in a lunchroom referencing oral sex and pubic hair, according to the employee.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Doncic claimed Bitadze directed a vulgar comment about Doncic’s family in Serbian toward the Lakers star guard.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Right now in America, when our discourse has gotten so crass and mean-spirited that to show the underlying kindness of this show is really resonating.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
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The beloved slapstick comedy is 85 minutes of pure entertainment, full of increasingly chaotic adventures and shockingly crass jokes that still produce guffaws decades later.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even young Oklahoma City required a clumsy postseason audition.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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The driver and his accomplice then mounted a clumsy getaway that resulted in their scooter crashing about three blocks from the scene, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the world's great urban green spaces, inspired everything from the color palette (soft greens, aqua blues, natural wood tones) to the botanical motifs that appear in textiles and art throughout the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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Though no studies have shown adverse effects from aluminum deodorants, natural deodorants sold to health-conscious consumers are generally aluminum-free.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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By the late 1950s, Houdry had invented a rudimentary catalytic converter.—
Ann E. Carlson,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
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The crash occurred at Tempe in northern Greece after a passenger train was placed on the wrong track, into the path of an oncoming freight train — an astonishing lapse on a rudimentary rail network.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The legislation would require social media platforms to estimate the age of users and exclude obscene content to children 16 years old or younger.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
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The use of obscene or indecent clothing or signs will result in expulsion.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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