coarse

adjective

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\ ˈkȯrs

coarser; coarsest

Definition of coarse

1 : of ordinary or inferior quality or value : common of what coarse metal ye are molded— Shakespeare

2a(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

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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 Both French and Smith described the cheetah’s texture as a mix between coarse and soft. — Giana Han, al, "Auburn football visits Busch Gardens," 28 Dec. 2019 Drive a 2½-inch coarse-thread pocket screw through the leg into the stretcher to lock the pieces together. — David Agrell, Popular Mechanics, "Build This Rustic Farmhouse Table," 7 Mar. 2020 Its inhabitants spoke a coarse dialect that was incomprehensible in Lhasa, Tibet’s storied capital. — Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, "‘The Dalai Lama’ Review: Bodhisattva of Compassion," 26 Feb. 2020 The narrator’s admiration for Billy’s writing begins to curdle into jealousy; Billy’s gritty qualities start looking naive and coarse. — Mark Athitakis, USA TODAY, "Review: Teddy Wayne's 'Apartment' a savvy novel about class and male friendship," 24 Feb. 2020 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts Swimmers on Cape Cod tend to be on the braver side, as sand is coarse and water temperatures only reach 60-70 degrees in the summer. — Caitlin Morton, Condé Nast Traveler, "14 Best Beaches in the U.S.," 19 Feb. 2020 Klong Khong beach on the southern Thai island of Koh Lanta is a long sweep of coarse silver sand fringed by Indian almond trees and palms. — Charlie Campbell / Krabi, Time, "'It Will Be Catastrophic.' Asia's Tourism-Dependent Economies Are Being Hit Hard by the Coronavirus," 13 Feb. 2020 Place 1/2 cup of the oats in a food processor and pulse until a coarse flour forms, about 1 minute. — NBC News, "A no-bake peanut butter energy bar with zero added sugar," 11 Feb. 2020 Virus worries ease:Coronavirus: Dow jumps 144 points as investors assess risks But about a month ago, Millspaugh broke down and criticized Trump’s sometimes coarse language online. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "Iowa Caucus: Americans don't like political talk at work but do it anyway, threatening relationships," 4 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coarse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.