1
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
lit a fire in the hearth to combat the rawness of that blustery March morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in roughness
the quality or state of lacking refinement or good taste
to many listeners the music's rawness adds to its authenticitiy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rawness
For me, navigating the dual role of big sister and eldest daughter, that rawness feels like an open wound.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
That rawness is exactly what draws people back to it — the clip predates the entire visual language of modern online video.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The realism, and the rawness, of Burden of Justice, sets it apart from most Swedish TV fare, which can often be polished and tasteful to a fault.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
The handloom process produces layered, tactile surfaces that celebrate rawness and rusticity.
—Allison Hatfield, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
There’s a certain dignity, rawness, and honesty to her, and those are qualities that make a rare combination.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
And while that rawness is a large part of its appeal, there’s a section of the Georgia coast that has managed to grow and develop—with resorts, vacation homes, and modern infrastructure—without losing the rugged character that makes the region so compelling.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Mitski, now thirty-five, has always written songs of exceptional rawness and vulnerability, placing herself in closeup against a thin layer of glass.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
In the visuals, Robyn portrays a literal and more metaphoric bareness—there’s nudity, yes, but also a rawness to her look.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
That rawness is exactly what draws people back to it — the clip predates the entire visual language of modern online video.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The realism, and the rawness, of Burden of Justice, sets it apart from most Swedish TV fare, which can often be polished and tasteful to a fault.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
The handloom process produces layered, tactile surfaces that celebrate rawness and rusticity.
—Allison Hatfield, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
There’s a certain dignity, rawness, and honesty to her, and those are qualities that make a rare combination.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
And while that rawness is a large part of its appeal, there’s a section of the Georgia coast that has managed to grow and develop—with resorts, vacation homes, and modern infrastructure—without losing the rugged character that makes the region so compelling.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Mitski, now thirty-five, has always written songs of exceptional rawness and vulnerability, placing herself in closeup against a thin layer of glass.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
In the visuals, Robyn portrays a literal and more metaphoric bareness—there’s nudity, yes, but also a rawness to her look.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rawness
Noun
-
Everyone sipped, meditated, reset — and then CA7RIEL and Paco tore the cover off the chill and delivered a high-octane performance that will not soon be forgotten.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The breeze should calm some on Saturday, when overcast skies and an unseasonable chill is expected.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Interest in imperfection, roughness, and asymmetry was already growing in the digital era before AI arrived.—
Andrey Mir,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
There is still a little roughness around the edges.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For example, maror, or bitter herbs, represent the bitterness of slavery.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The rest of the band joins in as Ayewa calls for the listener to look up to a world above war, bitterness, and division.—
Steve Donofrio,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But if there truly is an epidemic of canine defecation in your area, then the solution is not to turn up the rudeness volume, but to appeal to a system or organization that addresses public health or the care of public spaces.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
-
But only those who had been woken up without warning with a degree of rudeness would remember this night when their own time came.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That feeling stops, however, when pulling into gas stations or parking lots, where the length and lowness of the car require extreme care to keep the chin from scraping.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To find out more, Newsweek spoke with Pixile Studios co-founder Michael One and narrative designer Ruben, about designing a battle royale in this distinct format, building a global live service as a small indie team, and how cuteness and bleakness are not contradictions.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Harry is a grouch and Oslo is his trash can, which isn’t the way the city is traditionally depicted, with Santelmann making the descent into greater and greater bleakness seem organic.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If an exclamation point only signified gore and grossness, this gothic rock opera would more than qualify.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The characters’ propensity for ugly faces, silliness and a bit of grossness too, stems from the portrayals of girlhood and young womanhood that appeal to them.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But many seemingly urbane texts also benefited from the intellectual and moral coarseness of their times.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The term plant texture refers to the fineness or coarseness, roughness or smoothness, heaviness or lightness of a particular plant.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rawness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rawness. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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