crude

adjective

\ ˈkrüd

cruder; crudest

Definition of crude

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : marked by the primitive, gross, or elemental or by uncultivated simplicity or vulgarity a crude stereotype crude tools crude jokes

2 : existing in a natural state and unaltered by cooking or processing crude oil crude ore

3 : rough or inexpert in plan or execution a crude shelter

4 : lacking a covering, glossing, or concealing element : obvious crude facts

5 : tabulated without being broken down into classes the crude death rate

6 archaic : unripe, immature

crude

noun

Definition of crude (Entry 2 of 2)

: a substance in its natural unprocessed state especially : unrefined petroleum

Other Words from crude Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about crude

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Synonyms & Antonyms for crude

Synonyms: Adjective

native, natural, raw, rude, undressed, unprocessed, unrefined, untreated

Antonyms: Adjective

dressed, processed, refined, treated

Choose the Right Synonym for crude

Adjective

rude, rough, crude, raw mean lacking in social refinement. rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy. rude behavior rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness. rough manners crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive. a crude joke raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished. turning raw youths into polished performers

Examples of crude in a Sentence

Adjective

They built a crude shelter out of branches. a crude summary of the country's history She first described the procedure in crude terms, and then went into more detail.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The crude black-and-white faces on the left are from 2014, published as part of a landmark paper that introduced the AI tool known as the generative adversarial network (GAN). — James Vincent, The Verge, "These faces show how far AI image generation has advanced in just four years," 17 Dec. 2018 The windows there show a crude skyline rendered in what might be cardboard and drawn in a shaky child’s hand. — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, "Mr. and Mr. Polar Bear, Karaoke, and the Grinch: A Closer Look at the Holiday Windows," 27 Nov. 2018 Decades earlier, Thomas had emphatically denied engaging in the crude behavior Hill described. — Celeste Katz, Glamour, "In the Age of #MeToo, Will Christine Blasey Ford’s Experience Be the Same as Anita Hill’s?," 17 Sep. 2018 Up until 2012, Iran was China's third-largest source of crude oil imports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. — Jon Gambrell, Fox News, "Iran looks warily to China for help as US sanctions resume," 12 Sep. 2018 Indeed, wind power might be a tough sell to people who go to Ocean City to relax, relish the sunrise and buy T-shirts with crude expressions. — Dan Rodricks, baltimoresun.com, "Rodricks: Wind resistance in Ocean City is ludicrous," 12 June 2018 But as crude prices have risen, and operators in the Permian have contended with shortages of labor and pipelines, the Eagle Ford has gotten more attention. — Rye Druzin, San Antonio Express-News, "Austin-based oil company buys more Eagle Ford Shale acreage," 6 July 2018 Times of turmoil tend to boost crude prices, to the benefit of big U.S. producers—of which the best positioned right now is Chevron (cvx, -1.96%). — Ryan Derousseau, Fortune, "Three Stocks to Own in Risky Times," 26 June 2018 Sassou Nguesso, 74, is facing growing opposition to his almost four-decade rule after the economy contracted for the past two years following a drop in crude prices. — Elie Smith, Bloomberg.com, "Sassou Nguesso's Son May Vie to Succeed Him as Congo Leader," 5 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

That’s put Brent crude prices under pressure and, if nothing else, changed the mood music. — Lorcan Roche Kelly, Bloomberg.com, "Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day," 25 June 2018 Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that a drop in crude prices has not been seen at the pumps. — BostonGlobe.com, "Groups will rally for $15 minimum wage," 10 June 2018 Iran's share of global oil output is less than 5%, but crude prices typically move on the margins. — Don Lee, latimes.com, "Trump's renewed economic sanctions on Iran heightens risks for global oil prices and U.S. consumer spending," 9 May 2018 The division and callousness of the last couple of years has made the true purpose of the season ring truer—and the consumerism so deeply baked into the holidays feel all the more out of touch and crude. — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "An Over-The-Top, Über-Luxurious Gift Guide? Not This Year, Thanks," 3 Dec. 2018 Firefox has long had the ability to block all third-party cookies, but this is a crude solution, and many sites will break if all third-party cookies are prohibited. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Firefox 63 blocks tracking cookies, offers a VPN when you need one," 23 Oct. 2018 As was the case with LNG, interest in crude exports soared when fracking took off. — Jie Jenny Zou Of The Center For Public Integrity, The Seattle Times, "How DC unleashed fossil-fuel exports despite climate worries," 16 Oct. 2018 The Port of Corpus Christi has a lot to lose if crude exports bypass its facilities. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Offshore Mega-Terminals Are Coming Because Oil Supertankers Are Too Big for Our Ports," 14 Sep. 2018 Those innovations — and the breakup of the Soviet Union — helped the U.S. narrow the gap, although Russia and Saudi Arabia both pumped more crude than the U.S. last year. — David Koenig, Anchorage Daily News, "US soon to leapfrog Saudis, Russia as top oil producer," 12 July 2018

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