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
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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
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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
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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
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5
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a crude hut that was constructed by some shipwrecked sailors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crude
In the second, the Homo erectus use those two crude stones, one smooth and one chipped.
—
Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Brandon, his nerves showing, spoke about the oil boom, cartel activity, copper and crude-oil theft, and the struggles the six law enforcement officers in the county have dealing with it all.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Chad Powers’ nasty protagonist should give it license to be more cutting, rather than just unimaginatively crude, in its humor.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Fortunately, Sean Rafferty (James Norton), soon to be revealed as a kind of all-purpose fixer for the Guinness family (among other duties), has a solution, albeit a crude one.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crude
Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Brandon, his nerves showing, spoke about the oil boom, cartel activity, copper and crude-oil theft, and the struggles the six law enforcement officers in the county have dealing with it all.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Chad Powers’ nasty protagonist should give it license to be more cutting, rather than just unimaginatively crude, in its humor.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Fortunately, Sean Rafferty (James Norton), soon to be revealed as a kind of all-purpose fixer for the Guinness family (among other duties), has a solution, albeit a crude one.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
Adjective
-
Tuchel’s other contenders at centre-back are raw as well.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In more severe cases, the skin may crack, ooze, scab or become raw and extremely uncomfortable.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Free speech covers the jokes, the satire, the parodies—even the dumb, crass, or offensive ones.—
Lizz Winstead,
Time,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Maggie is a snoop—and a clumsy one.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
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But the character’s state of servitude is largely hidden in clumsy blocking.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Many drugs, enzymes, catalysts, and other chemicals of incalculable value were first identified in natural samples.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The business focuses on natural beekeeping practices and manufactures products made with beeswax and honey such as lip balm, beard oil, candles, solid perfume, lotions, paw balm for dogs and cotton candy as well as a wide variety of raw honey.—
Janice Phelan,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Ants display rudimentary counting abilities, can understand the concept of zero and make tools.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
25 Sep. 2025
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The voice performers — including Thomas Lennon, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villasenor, and Fortune Feimster — are superior to the rudimentary computer animation that probably works better on the small screen.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Banners or signs may not be commercial in nature or obscene, or cause any disturbance to other fans.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Workers described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, including reports from women workers who said they had been manhandled and subjected to obscene remarks and threats.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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