1
as in raw
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining
a sizable spill of crude oil along a coastline is the worst kind of environmental disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in primitive
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development
the crude stone tools that those prehistoric peoples used
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulgar
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
crude jokes can be considered sexual harassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste
any discussion of one's money is considered crude by the club's blue-blooded members
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a crude hut that was constructed by some shipwrecked sailors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 crude
Just over a month ago, California opted to delay by five years planned price caps for refiners that were adopted when pump prices jumped over $8 a gallon in 2022, when global crude costs surged after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
—
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
The El Segundo refinery, built in 1911, processes 276,000 barrels of crude oil daily, the company said on its website.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
This refinery can handle nearly 300kbpd of crude oil and is the largest refinery on the west coast.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
In the second, the Homo erectus use those two crude stones, one smooth and one chipped.
—Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crude
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
The El Segundo refinery, built in 1911, processes 276,000 barrels of crude oil daily, the company said on its website.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
This refinery can handle nearly 300kbpd of crude oil and is the largest refinery on the west coast.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
In the second, the Homo erectus use those two crude stones, one smooth and one chipped.
—Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
Adjective
-
The two are added in layers; first the jam-like cranberry mixture is spread on the raw dough, then the apples are placed on top before the top crust is added.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Based in Medellin, the brand’s fragrances are inspired by Colombian cities and raw ingredients, made with raw materials from Grasse and hand-blended in Colombia.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The open North Rim camping at Fire Point and Swamp Ridge, is primitive and requires a backcountry permit.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The Chinese navy already makes port calls in Myanmar, but these are brief stays in facilities too primitive to provide naval advantage.—
Dan Swift,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
A day before a shooter killed four people and set fire to a church in Michigan, students at a football game in Colorado chanted vulgar anti-Mormon slurs against the same religious organization.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Colorado has condemned a vulgar chant its fans directed at BYU during its football team’s 24-21 loss Saturday at Folsom Field.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Each project presented at MIA is picked with a genuine desire for these works to come to the fore, not by crass commercial considerations.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Free speech covers the jokes, the satire, the parodies—even the dumb, crass, or offensive ones.—
Lizz Winstead,
Time,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Actually, Alma does suffer from ulcers, which cause her extraordinary stomach pain and vomiting at inconvenient moments, and cause viewers to wonder not if but when such clumsy symbolic traits will be trotted out in the future.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
-
There had to be an element of her that was sort of clumsy.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Founded by actress Tia Mowry, the brand makes products that move your natural hair journey along — swiftly, softly, and cleanly.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The demand for natural fibers is on the rise, but for agricultural inputs like cotton, there is a limit to how much the crops can keep up with demand.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Without data centers, flights would be grounded (pilots could not get weather info and flight plans would not be available), communication would become rudimentary, payments would stop processing (welcome back, bartering) — even 911, which goes through an online system, would shut down.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Over time, these rudimentary structures gave way to more ambitious designs.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This culture is incredibly cruel, and things have gotten really obscene.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
-
In 2009, former Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams was fined $250,000 for making an obscene gesture toward a Buffalo Bills fan.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share