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Synonym Chooser

How is the word coarse different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of coarse are gross, obscene, ribald, and vulgar. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

When can gross be used instead of coarse?

The words gross and coarse can be used in similar contexts, but gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

When could obscene be used to replace coarse?

While the synonyms obscene and coarse are close in meaning, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

Where would ribald be a reasonable alternative to coarse?

The meanings of ribald and coarse largely overlap; however, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

When might vulgar be a better fit than coarse?

The words vulgar and coarse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of coarse Previous research has shown that unlike ripples on Earth, which shift constantly under the influence of wind and water, Martian megaripples consist of fine sand beneath a layer of coarse grains. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Implicit in their impassioned defenses was the belief that the role of a humanist is to preserve knowledge, safeguard learning from the market and the tides of popular interest, and ward off coarse appeals to economic utility. Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025 But the picture drawn from these analyses was necessarily a bit coarse. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025 Fill the disposal with ice cubes, a sprinkle of coarse salt such as rock or sea salt, and a few lemon wedges. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coarse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coarse
Adjective
  • Gilliam is not contesting states' rights to ban profane, sexualized or vulgar plates.
    Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Two Beal City high schoolers received thousands of vulgar text messages from an unknown sender for months.
    Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The couple quickly began receiving death threats and obscene phone calls.
    Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Banners or signs may not be commercial in nature or obscene, or cause any disturbance to other fans.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Her voice was loud and hoarse, calling out comments or exhortations concerning the game.
    Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Joe Biden’s disastrous June 2024 debate performance, when the nation witnessed a hoarse and feeble president losing his train of thought and struggling to finish sentences, ended his re-election campaign.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • Most of the surface is made up of a fine dust with jagged edges because it hasn’t been weathered by wind or water.
    Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Against all of this allegedly heady stuff, the score—by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—intentionally jars us from encroaching drowsiness with chortling woodwinds and shardlike piano chords that are the aural equivalent of jagged Plexiglass off-cuts.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But prorating three years of player profits down to 12 months, as UEFA’s rule does, reduces the immediate efficacy of successful trading in the market, the very strategy that poorer clubs increasingly rely on to climb the ladder.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Like most extended car warranty providers, CarShield excludes pre-existing conditions that existed before your warranty took effect, as well as damage resulting from poor maintenance, neglect or intentional abuse.
    Brian Sloan, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Robbie invites Peach Boy to close his eyes and imagine white sandy beaches, a big blue ocean, and beautiful women asking to dance with him.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The net was pulled along the sandy bottom, running over rocks jutting out from the soft seafloor.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Edwards, along with protesting comrade Tom Hopper (Raife Hastings) and crass CIA contractor Jules Landry (Luke Hemsworth) join a secret CIA unit fighting terrorism in Europe.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Liverpool fans know how hurtful crass chants can be.
    Simon Hughes, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Investigators said the pornographic material heightened concerns about the risks posed to federal systems.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Pete alleges Cooper also promoted a deepfake pornographic video of her.
    Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Coarse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coarse. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on coarse

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