crude

adjective

ˈkrüd How to pronounce crude (audio)
Definition of crudenext
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

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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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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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective crude differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crude are raw, rough, and rude. While all these words mean "lacking in social refinement," crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive.

a crude joke

When could raw be used to replace crude?

In some situations, the words raw and crude are roughly equivalent. However, raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished.

turning raw youths into polished performers

When would rough be a good substitute for crude?

The words rough and crude can be used in similar contexts, but rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness.

rough manners

When might rude be a better fit than crude?

The synonyms rude and crude are sometimes interchangeable, but rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy.

rude behavior

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
  1. raw
  2. primitive
  3. vulgar
  4. crass
  5. clumsy
  6. natural
  7. rudimentary
  8. obscene
Adjective
  • The North Shore beaches were raw and windswept, the seaside shops vacant.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Early acting career Although Turner had no formal training, his raw talent soon caught the eye of several television directors.
    — L. Sue Baugh, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of raw
Adjective
  • When the Followers began, healthcare on the Western frontier was primitive, unsanitary and riddled with con artists peddling fake cures.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In an early study, researchers collected about five hours of primitive tennis movements from amateur players using a compact motion-capture setup.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • But the school’s dress code prohibits messages that are lewd, indecent, vulgar or profane.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • That pertness should be unbearable, but the scene is written in a minor key and performed by both actors to match, favouring eye contact and murmurs; the sheer brevity prevents it from becoming gloopy or crass.
    — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a crass and charismatic oil executive who’s called upon to help save the world after his company nearly destroys it.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 July 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • Yirenki’s challenge on Christos Tzolis is clumsy, but well short of a first yellow card, let alone a second.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Vocals are surprisingly good, despite the show being a bit awkward and clumsy at times.
    — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • The instruments can move with greater flexibility than the human hand, while the system filters out natural hand tremors that could affect delicate movements.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • If there isn’t an official audiobook, the PocketBook Q’s natural-sounding Text-to-Speech function will read any text file aloud for you.
    — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of natural
Adjective
  • Using rudimentary 3-D animation tools, the film looks janky, with sharp edges and bad editing.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The panels were expensive and rudimentary by today’s standards.
    — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of rudimentary
Adjective
  • The Tarrant County decorum policy prohibits personal attacks, impertinent, profane, obscene, or slanderous remarks as well as threatening, disruptive or unruly behavior.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Starks said the obscene gesture was meant as a joke to teammates.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscene
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.

Browse Nearby Words

cruddy
crude
crudely
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Cite this Entry

“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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