coarse

adjective

\ 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

Jasmin has box colored her hair black, red, and brown '7 or 8 times' and has coarse, straight, level 2 hair. — Marci Robin, Allure, "This Super-Long Ombré Hair Transformation Is a Feat of Color-Correction Magic," 13 Nov. 2018 Crepitus can be fine, which is more of a mild creaking sound and sensation, or coarse, which is more intense. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Here’s What It Means If Your Knee Just Won’t Stop Popping," 23 Sep. 2018 People with thick, coarse, and dark hair are the best candidates for laser hair removal. — Sam Escobar, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Need to Know Before Trying Laser Hair Removal," 8 Aug. 2018 The sediment in the core includes a layer of coarse sand and gravel, indicating stronger flow from the Mackenzie. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "Elusive trigger for cooling 13,000 years ago might have been found," 11 July 2018 For those with coarse hair, Balding suggests products that tame frizz and moisturize, like Ouai’s Smooth Conditioner. — Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, "How To Make Your Hair Grow Longer and Thicker," 14 Nov. 2018 Pulse to create a coarse meal, being careful not to overprocess. — Terri Milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Keep your cool: No-heat cooking keeps you comfortable and the food fresh," 5 July 2018 Use a pastry blender or two knives to work in the butter until topping resembles coarse meal. — Judy Buchenot, Naperville Sun, "Suburban Cooks: Recipe for food-producing garden," 20 Apr. 2018 While this is an incredible tool for monitoring something like a California drought, the resolution is too coarse to tell you much about flooding in Houston. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "GPS tracked the land sink under the weight of Hurricane Harvey’s rain," 20 Sep. 2018

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.