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

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 Directed by Curtis Wayne Millard, the video is an Eighties time warp, full of grainy VHS effects, bright neon, and more than a few references to Teen Wolf (the 1985 Michael J. Fox O.G.). Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2024 The seventh was too grainy to tell. advertisement Related: Their baby died during his nap. Eric Boodman, STAT, 4 Jan. 2024 All names from the heyday of Las Vegas, names that now are but grainy memories on YouTube. USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023 The video is also poor quality and often grainy The video is also poor quality and often grainy. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2023 The letters featured what appeared to be fake letterhead: a grainy New York City logo at the top. Jay Root, New York Times, 30 July 2023 But some fans thought this was more than friendly, after extremely grainy photos showed Swift and Kloss’s faces close together, possibly making out. Vulture, 1 June 2023 Though largely straightforward, the film occasionally seems to dip into Sarah’s consciousness, as grainy movies of Ghana are intercut with scenes in the Bronx. Pat Padua, Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2022 Standing in stark contrast to this small, grainy image is a nearly seven-foot-wide oil painting by French artist Thèobald Chartran, which currently hangs in White House’s Treaty Room. Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grainy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grainy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near grainy

Cite this Entry

“Grainy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grainy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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