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
3
4
5

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective crude differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crude are raw, rough, and rude. While all these words mean "lacking in social refinement," crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive.

a crude joke

When could raw be used to replace crude?

In some situations, the words raw and crude are roughly equivalent. However, raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished.

turning raw youths into polished performers

When would rough be a good substitute for crude?

The words rough and crude can be used in similar contexts, but rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness.

rough manners

When might rude be a better fit than crude?

The synonyms rude and crude are sometimes interchangeable, but rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy.

rude behavior

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 For instance, Chinese parties take more than 90 percent of Venezuela's exports of crude oil. Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 California crude output has fallen by more than 70% in the past four decades as fields first tapped in the early 20th century began to run dry, competition increased from lower-cost sources, and some of the nation’s strictest environmental rules piled on costs. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025 Without refineries, there’s no in-state destination for the crude oil produced in her district. Calmatters, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025 The cost of repainting a section of exterior wall at a nondenominational Christian church in Euless in order to fully erase a crude political critique in red spray paint is at the heart of a trial underway this week in a state district court in Tarrant County. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
Adjective
  • The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 2025) laptop now drops another $200, pairing all-day battery and quiet, fanless design with the raw speed of Apple’s M4 chip.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
  • In addition to showcasing the Arctic’s raw, austere beauty and wildlife encounters such as sightings of polar bears, walruses, wolves, giant musk ox, narwhal, and snowy owls, the voyage shines a spotlight on the Indigenous people who have stewarded the region’s unusual ecosystems for 5,000 years.
    Robin Catalano, AFAR Media, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Due to an accidental feature of this primitive technology, the color of television made in the middle nineteen sixties is essentially public, rather than private.
    Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Campsites are a step above primitive, with nearby water, pit toilets, picnic tables and food lock-up boxes provided.
    Don Sproul, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The book is filled with vulgar pictures, with many faces blacked out, and messages both handwritten and typed from well-wishers for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The biopic is the vulgar but necessary tribute inherently populist cinema pays to more traditional, higher-brow art.
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 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
  • The rubber sole is also important for clumsy gals like myself.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Camels seem slow, hippos clumsy, phoenixes unstable, lions lazy.
    Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Her pieces consisted of geometric tops influenced by flowers’ natural designs and also modernized micro shorts.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Many lodges are locally run, and connections to nearby villages feel natural, not staged.
    Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Even if partners don’t agree on every single detail pertaining to religion or politics, most healthy couples nevertheless share a rudimentary worldview.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Set in 1994 and kitted out with plenty of period-appropriate details, the film’s setting allows for all sorts of mystery (and one, quite funny, rudimentary internet search).
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Clothing must not feature offensive language, obscene gestures/graphics, or nudity or clothing that does not sufficiently cover undergarments.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The store supplied her with bondage pants, kilts, and T-shirts printed with obscene illustrations.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on crude

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!