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 of grainy

• 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

For instance, some surveillance cameras can transmit digital representations of faces along with the video stream, so even if the images are grainy, computer systems can still identify the people in them. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026

Shooting in the lowest light leads to grainier results, but that's par for the course. —Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

The grainy technique is particularly visible in Il grand letto azzurro (1965), featured in the Lévy Gorvy Dayan show, where close inspection of the teal bedspread reveals a tan floral pattern made up of non-pigmented sand. —Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2026

The boy in the grainy video feed sounded desperate. —Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grainy

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