coarser; coarsest
1
: of ordinary or inferior quality or value : common
of what coarse metal ye are moldedShakespeare
2
a(1)
: composed of relatively large parts or particles
coarse sand
(2)
: loose or rough in texture
coarse cloth
b
: adjusted or designed for heavy, fast, or less delicate work
a coarse saw with large teeth
c
: not precise or detailed with respect to adjustment or discrimination
filled in the details of the rather coarse preliminary report
3
: crude or unrefined in taste, manners, or language
4
: harsh, raucous, or rough in tone
5
chiefly British : of or relating to coarse fish
coarse fishing
coarsely adverb
coarseness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for coarse

coarse, vulgar, gross, obscene, ribald mean offensive to good taste or morals.

coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

Examples of coarse in a Sentence

He was a man of middle age with coarse, curly gray hair, a dark, pock-marked complexion and protruding, almost batrachian eyes. Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
He had a heavy face and a shrivelled nose and thick, coarse, bunched up skin. Paul Theroux, Granta, Summer 1994
She'd always been taught—and she'd felt it instinctively—that sun-braised cheeks, sallow skin and reddened hands were coarse and unsightly, the emblem of the foreigner and the day laborer. T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road To Wellville, 1993
Around the throbbing machinery was a frame of coarse wire net. Ursula K. Le Guin, Harper's, August 1990
The dog has a thick, coarse coat. The fabric varies in texture from coarse to fine.
Recent Examples on the Web And, Sag adds, the video-capture technology may be more coarse and not specifically track a face. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 Scientists described the creatures’ exoskeleton as coarse and granular. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2024 Add the butter and mix with two forks or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 Today, Peru’s traditional ceviche is meant to be eaten within 15 minutes of preparation, with cubes of raw fish or seafood tossed gently with coarse salt, red onion, chili peppers, and lime juice. Johanna Read, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 The core botanical is Ghanian baobab fruit, which is complemented by Kenyan juniper berries; coriander, rosemary, and cinnamon from South Africa; and coarse salt from Botswana. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024 Transfer the pineapple to the bowl of a food processor or blender, and process on low speed to create a coarse, slushy purée (Do not liquify; some small chunks may remain). Yi Jun Loh, Saveur, 8 Feb. 2024 Just put some on the coarse side of a damp sponge and gently scrub the stains on the tub. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 4 Feb. 2024 To plant tiny seeds of carrots, turnips or radishes, make a mix of 1 part seeds with 5 or more parts coarse construction sand, then broadcast over the garden bed. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coarse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cors, perhaps from course, noun — see course entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coarse was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near coarse

Cite this Entry

“Coarse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coarse. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coarse

adjective
ˈkō(ə)rs How to pronounce coarse (audio)
ˈkȯ(ə)rs
coarser; coarsest
1
: of ordinary or poor quality
2
: made up of large parts or particles
coarse sand
3
: being harsh or rough
coarse cloth
4
: not precise or detailed : roughly approximate
5
: crude in taste, manners, or language
coarsely adverb
coarsen
ˈkōrs-ᵊn
ˈkȯrs-
verb
coarseness noun

Medical Definition

coarse

adjective
1
: visible to the naked eye or by means of a compound microscope
coarse particles
2
of a tremor : of wide excursion
a coarse tremor of the extremities
3
: harsh, raucous, or rough in tone
used of some sounds heard in auscultation in pathological states of the chest
coarse rales

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