1
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining
unrefined sugar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
an unrefined mountaineer's hut
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
guilty of such unrefined behavior as eating with their mouths open
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unrefined
Peserico, too, focused on wearability, presenting a collection that showed us that being unfussy doesn’t mean unrefined.
—
Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Muscovado sugar is imported, unrefined, light brown cane sugar, available under the Billington label and sold at Balducci's in New York City (212/673-2600).
—Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2025
Choose unrefined or virgin coconut oil over refined options, and perform a patch test to help avoid irritation or allergic reactions.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 14 Nov. 2025
Getty Images Industry proposals would ship unrefined ore to overseas processors, with no domestic value added or direct supply chain benefits.
—Kevin Green, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unrefined
Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Muscovado sugar is imported, unrefined, light brown cane sugar, available under the Billington label and sold at Balducci's in New York City (212/673-2600).
—Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2025
Choose unrefined or virgin coconut oil over refined options, and perform a patch test to help avoid irritation or allergic reactions.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 14 Nov. 2025
Getty Images Industry proposals would ship unrefined ore to overseas processors, with no domestic value added or direct supply chain benefits.
—Kevin Green, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unrefined
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrefined
Adjective
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The tech driving my first clumsy steps included a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS sensors monitoring each ski’s position and the weight and angle of my heel.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Who wants to sit through a fictitious novelist’s clumsy drafts?—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
When authorities asked King to remove the breast banner as vulgar, King taped over the nipples with stars made of tape or Magic Marker.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
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Sarah, the former Duchess of York, also sent emails to Epstein which included a vulgar mention of Eugenie, who had not yet turned 20 at the time, People reported.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While crass and lazy, the moniker did at least have a link to reality at a time when her male counterpart was excelling.—
Adam Leventhal,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Zamiri aims to send up the crass monetization of a cultural boom, turning up the film’s absurdity knob to highlight the very real ways in which record labels and other corporate interests attach themselves vampirically to artistic success.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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For much of 2025, their doldrums felt much worse than the typical rough patch that parties endure after bad election defeats.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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Unfortunately, peel-and-stick tiles will not hold up well on rough walls and floors or uneven surfaces.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Margot Robbie once had the world's rudest coworker.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
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The other systems are even ruder.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Initially, these are very primitive – buy coffee, take a photo of a receipt in a cafe.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Later on, as some of the brightest extended objects visible with even the most primitive of telescopes, planetary nebulae are numerous and prominent in the catalogues of astronomers, with the first ones spotted way back in the 1700s.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In a retrial compelled by the defendant’s successful appeal connected to a judge’s flawed jury instruction, a state district court jury in Tarrant County on Friday imposed a prison term 17 years longer than did the jury in his first trial.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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The medical examiner’s flawed conclusion changes nothing.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
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With a coarser grind, the water flows more quickly and won’t pull as much flavor out from the beans.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unrefined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrefined. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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