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

Antonyms: Adjective

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 That's equivalent to over 14.4 million barrels of Murban crude oil. — Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, "Murban Oil Futures Post Daily Trading Record Of 14.5M Barrels Following Launch," 9 Apr. 2021 The latest data on US crude oil inventories posts at 10:30 a.m. ET. — Julia Horowitz, CNN, "CEOs like Jeff Bezos are grappling with new political realities," 7 Apr. 2021 Three months later, at another site in the area, 20 barrels of crude oil were sent straight into the earth. — Nick Martin, The New Republic, "Kick the Fracking Industry Out of Indian Country," 6 Apr. 2021 The leaking line was installed in Cook Inlet, in the mid-1960s, and originally carried crude oil before it was converted to ship natural gas as fuel. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Hilcorp shuts down two offshore platforms in Cook Inlet after natural gas leaks from fuel line," 6 Apr. 2021 Plains All America told CBS News this project will bring crude oil to families and homes across the southeastern part of the U.S. — CBS News, ""This land means a whole lot to me:" Property owners, advocates in Memphis fight to stop pipeline project," 1 Apr. 2021 Permian Basin are back at pre-pandemic levels, after tumbling sixty per cent last spring, when producers shut down wells in the face of plummeting crude-oil prices. — Bill Mckibben, The New Yorker, "There Are No Borders in a Climate Crisis," 31 Mar. 2021 Even as traffic began to flow through the canal once more, a canal service provider said more than 300 vessels carrying everything from crude oil to cattle were still waiting for their turn in a process that will take days. — Fox News, "Suez Canal ship blockage under investigation," 31 Mar. 2021 In fact, the eight core sectors (steel, electricity, refinery products, crude oil, natural gas, coal, cement, and fertilizer) witnessed their sharpest contraction in the last six months in February. — Prathamesh Mulye, Quartz, "The fresh Covid-19 wave could throw India’s economic recovery off track," 31 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun In commodity markets, Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, fell 1.2% to $62.02 a barrel. — Caitlin Mccabe, WSJ, "Stocks Struggle to Find Direction," 7 Apr. 2021 The investment bank expects Brent crude, the world benchmark, to rise from just $65 today to $80 by the summer. — Matt Egan, CNN, "Here comes $3 gas, just as Americans start traveling again," 23 Mar. 2021 Combined with Covid-19, a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia helped send prices of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude—an international fuel price benchmark—into double-digit negatives last spring. — Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, "Can OPEC Rescue the Planet?," 22 Mar. 2021 Brent crude, the international standard, gained 54 cents to $68.44 a barrel. — Yuri Kageyama, BostonGlobe.com, "Stocks fall on Wall Street ahead of Fed view on US economy," 17 Mar. 2021 Brent crude, the international standard, surpassed $70 per barrel for the first time in over a year, gaining $1.14 to $70.47 a barrel. — Star Tribune, "Attack on Saudi oil site fuels upward march for crude prices," 8 Mar. 2021 Oil prices retreated, with Brent crude falling around 1.5% to $63.60 a barrel. — Time, "The Cargo Ship Blocking the Suez Canal Is Now Partly Afloat, in the First Step to Clearing the Vital Waterway," 29 Mar. 2021 The price of benchmark international crude rose after the blockage, but prices retreated Thursday. — Chris Rugaber, Fortune, "How the snafu at the Suez Canal could affect you," 26 Mar. 2021 Tucked out of sight, oil wells run thousands of feet deep, tapping thick crude from one of California’s many urban oil fields. — Janet Wilson, ProPublica, "Are California Oil Companies Complying With the Law? Even Regulators Often Don’t Know.," 22 Mar. 2021

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.