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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a crude hut that was constructed by some shipwrecked sailors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of crude
For instance, Chinese parties take more than 90 percent of Venezuela's exports of crude oil.
—
Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
California crude output has fallen by more than 70% in the past four decades as fields first tapped in the early 20th century began to run dry, competition increased from lower-cost sources, and some of the nation’s strictest environmental rules piled on costs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Without refineries, there’s no in-state destination for the crude oil produced in her district.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
The cost of repainting a section of exterior wall at a nondenominational Christian church in Euless in order to fully erase a crude political critique in red spray paint is at the heart of a trial underway this week in a state district court in Tarrant County.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crude
Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
California crude output has fallen by more than 70% in the past four decades as fields first tapped in the early 20th century began to run dry, competition increased from lower-cost sources, and some of the nation’s strictest environmental rules piled on costs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Without refineries, there’s no in-state destination for the crude oil produced in her district.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
The cost of repainting a section of exterior wall at a nondenominational Christian church in Euless in order to fully erase a crude political critique in red spray paint is at the heart of a trial underway this week in a state district court in Tarrant County.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
Adjective
-
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 2025) laptop now drops another $200, pairing all-day battery and quiet, fanless design with the raw speed of Apple’s M4 chip.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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In addition to showcasing the Arctic’s raw, austere beauty and wildlife encounters such as sightings of polar bears, walruses, wolves, giant musk ox, narwhal, and snowy owls, the voyage shines a spotlight on the Indigenous people who have stewarded the region’s unusual ecosystems for 5,000 years.—
Robin Catalano,
AFAR Media,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Due to an accidental feature of this primitive technology, the color of television made in the middle nineteen sixties is essentially public, rather than private.—
Scott Stossel,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
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Campsites are a step above primitive, with nearby water, pit toilets, picnic tables and food lock-up boxes provided.—
Don Sproul,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The book is filled with vulgar pictures, with many faces blacked out, and messages both handwritten and typed from well-wishers for Epstein’s 50th birthday.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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The biopic is the vulgar but necessary tribute inherently populist cinema pays to more traditional, higher-brow art.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In most places, private companies can fire employees for any reason — and that includes crass social media posts, said Jeffrey Hirsch, a professor of labor and employment law at the University of North Carolina.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Edwards, along with protesting comrade Tom Hopper (Raife Hastings) and crass CIA contractor Jules Landry (Luke Hemsworth) join a secret CIA unit fighting terrorism in Europe.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In the afterglow of the finale, outlets hit publish on SEO-bait around who did what, and clumsy think pieces like this one followed.—
Thomas Page,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
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His paranoia, played with clumsy charm by a mustachioed and bleary-eyed Leonardo DiCaprio, is half-cocked and somewhat comical.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As the day went on, the foundation settled into a softer, velvety finish that looked smooth and natural without crossing into shiny territory.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
19 Sep. 2025
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Parasites are found throughout our natural world and occur in nearly every major animal group.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The common factor in both these scenes, however, is the lack of any sort of even rudimentary security in place.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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People have monitored those temperatures since the 1870s, when whalers threw buckets into the sea to take rudimentary measurements.—
Gregory Barber,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Guests will enjoy the experience free from disruptive behavior, foul language, obscene gestures, fighting, unruly conduct or inconsiderate actions.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Other users called her obscene names, threatened to show up at her workplace, or sent her a photograph of guns.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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