grainy

adjective

ˈgrā-nē 

grainier; grainiest

1

: resembling or having some characteristic of grain : not smooth or fine

2

of a photograph : appearing to be composed of grain-like particles

graininess noun

Synonyms

• coarse
• grained
• sandy
• granular

Examples of grainy in a Sentence

The mustard has a grainy texture.

grainy sand kept it off the rankings as one of the nation's best beaches

Recent Examples on the Web

Faulí also has blowups of about ten grainy black-and-white photographs that were taken in Gaudí’s workshop. —D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025

Authorities have not yet revealed the full details of how Robinson was detained, but multiple reports suggested that his father urged him to surrender after recognizing his son in the grainy surveillance footage released by police. —Richard Hall, Time, 14 Sep. 2025

Televisions above a shiny black bar cycle through grainy reruns of the early ’90s sitcom A Different World. —The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025

What was once limited to grainy camcorder recordings in theaters now also includes polished Blu-ray rips hitting the internet weeks early. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grainy

• brainy
• cheyney
• rainey
• zany
• allegany
• miscellany
• theophany