Definition of coarsenext
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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 Red and green clay in America is coarse stone that has far more friction and less give than European clay. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 May 2026 Finer clays, silts and coarser sands would all have been deposited by different processes. Geoff Emberling, The Conversation, 19 May 2026 Access can be opened up without allowing the experience to become coarse. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 The man looked down at his own hands, which felt heavy and coarse. Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for coarse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coarse
Adjective
  • The brand’s classic coats were joined by handsome bomber jackets in grained leather or suede, cocooning puffers and enveloping shearling jackets and stoles that were lined with contrasting napa for extra luxe.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Her husband says that's a very vulgar pet.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 28 May 2026
  • Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s biographer Andrew Lownie shared a vulgar pickup line that the former prince allegedly used while trying to pick up women.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • It was seized by the post office (as Rosset had expected) and duly declared obscene by the postmaster of the city of New York, a man named Robert Christenberry.
    Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • Who says a man can’t appreciate the gleaming, obscene form of an Aston Martin supercar or the growl of its overpriced engine?
    Alex James Kane, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Adjective
  • During the debate, Joe Biden frequently lost his train of thought, stumbled over answers, and appeared hoarse, fueling concerns among voters and party leaders.
    Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
  • Signs include panting, a hoarse bark, scuffing or dragging their toes along the ground, and sometimes regurgitation or swallowing problems.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • At Palisades State Park, striking red-pink Sioux quartzite cliffs jut up to 50 feet above Split Rock Creek, their jagged faces almost glowing against a backdrop of bucolic farmland.
    Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026
  • Rescuers knew that getting them out would not be easy in the face of jagged rocks, dirty water, near-zero visibility and the risk of panic.
    Janis Mackey Frayer, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Adjective
  • Common travel regrets stem from preventable issues like poor planning, budget problems, and choosing the wrong companions.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 June 2026
  • O’Farrell’s inclination for narratives propelled by brutal coincidence and fatally poor timing tenders a Hardy-esque vision of the world, one that emphasizes the rigid, often cruel limits of an individual’s jurisdiction over the course of their life.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • The region is diverse and scenic, with sandy beaches, coastal castles and remote wilderness in close range of one another.
    Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
  • Accessibility for those with mobility impairments Not recommended for people with disabilities, including because of the arrival by amphibious plane, as well as the many uneven stone steps and sandy trails on the islands.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • The service There’s nothing as crass as a check-in desk here.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • In fact, the very term anti-Semitism was popularized by Wilhelm Marr, a German nationalist who sought to distinguish his anti-Jewish ideology from the crass bigotry of the common folk by dressing his hate up in pseudoscientific terms.
    Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Coarse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coarse. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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