raw

adjective

\ ˈrȯ

rawer\ ˈrȯ(-ə)r

\; rawest\ ˈrȯ-əst

Definition of raw

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : not cooked

2a(1) : being in or nearly in the natural state : not processed or purified raw fibers raw sewage

(2) : not diluted or blended raw spirits

b : unprepared or imperfectly prepared for use

c : not being in polished, finished, or processed form raw data a raw draft of a thesis

3a(1) : having the surface abraded or chafed

(2) : very irritated a raw sore throat

b : lacking covering : naked

c : not protected : susceptible to hurt raw emotions

4a : lacking experience or understanding : green a raw recruit

b(1) : marked by absence of refinements

(2) : vulgar, coarse raw language

c : not tempered : unbridled raw power

5 : disagreeably damp or cold a raw winter day

raw

noun

Definition of raw (Entry 2 of 2)

: a raw place or state

in the raw

1 : in a natural, unrefined, or crude state

2 : naked slept in the raw

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

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Synonyms & Antonyms for raw

Synonyms: Adjective

uncooked

Synonyms: Noun

altogether, bareness, birthday suit, bottomlessness, buff, nakedness, nude, nudity

Antonyms: Adjective

cooked

Choose the Right Synonym for raw

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 raw in a Sentence

Adjective

He entered the raw data into a spreadsheet. The shoes rubbed my heels raw. His throat was raw from the cold air.

Noun

a secluded swimming hole where we could swim in the raw

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Christine Baranski and Johnny Galecki brought the house down with their raw, emotional portrayals of Beverly and Leonard, and their relationship will never be the same. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "The Big Bang Theory," 10 May 2019 When work hours are over, the raw wood desk can slide open to reveal a keyboard—and voilà, the workspace is a leisure one. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "This 300-Square-Foot Apartment Makes Ingenious Use of Every Centimeter of Space," 30 Apr. 2019 One of the essential tastes of the Passover meal is bitter herbs, often in the form of raw horseradish or leaves of chicory. — Bee Wilson, WSJ, "Learning to Love Bitter Tastes," 19 Apr. 2019 Donlan focused on what was to become Go Basic’s signature product, raw cacao CBD chocolates in millennial pink, Instagram-friendly wrappers. — Charlotte Palermino, Marie Claire, "15 Women to Watch in the CBD Industry," 16 Apr. 2019 Arguably the only good thing to come out of the dumpster fire year that was 2016, Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's bold, hilarious, and emotionally raw comedy, is finally returning for a second run this spring. — Emma Dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Fleabag Season 2: Everything We Know," 11 Apr. 2019 Seafood can’t be served raw aboard airplanes, so shrimp had to be poached before being mixed into a ceviche-style broth. — Scott Mccartney, WSJ, "The Science Behind the World’s Longest Flights," 15 Aug. 2018 Well, a drop of raw Coaxium makes the ship go really fast. — Dan Gvozden, The Hollywood Reporter, "74 'Star Wars' Questions 'Solo' Insisted on Answering," 1 June 2018 There’s a raw soul that is missing right now from music. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "‘The Voice’ Contestant Domenic Haynes Was Just Called the Coaches' ‘Favorite Singer' Ever," 27 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Cartons of raw shelled eggs and tofu at improper temperature. — Ryan Santistevan, azcentral, "Restaurant inspections: Handwashing a problem at six eateries," 9 May 2018 The Peanut Barn buys raw shelled peanuts to cook and flavor or grind into paste for its handcrafted and popular Natural Peanut Butter. — Robert Anglen, azcentral, "'Buy local' food programs deceive consumers and are rarely enforced, a USA TODAY Network investigation finds," 2 Mar. 2018 Or the movie that’s making viewers pass out, like that cannibal horror film Raw. — Kenzie Bryant, Vanities, "Jennifer Lawrence’s Boyfriend, Darron Aronofsky, Doesn’t Understand Her Housewives Obsession," 9 Aug. 2017 Or the movie that’s making viewers pass out, like that cannibal horror film Raw. — Kenzie Bryant, vanityfair.com, "Jennifer Lawrence’s Boyfriend, Darren Aronofsky, Doesn’t Understand Her Housewives Obsession," 9 Aug. 2017

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