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 In other dealings on Tuesday, benchmark U.S. crude oil lost 29 cents to $67.64 per barrel. Teresa Cerojano, Fortune, 8 July 2025 The nearly 900-mile pipeline will transport crude oil from Uganda's Lake Albert region to Tanzania's port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean. Willem Marx, NPR, 7 July 2025 That’s because California’s pump prices are primarily set by the global crude oil market, which is volatile, Brown said. Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025 In our bubble, that slur was only uttered by crude uncles. Charles E. Kraus, New York Daily News, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for crude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crude
Adjective
  • Joel Alfonso Vargas brings raw authenticity and lyrical vision to a coming-of-age story that pulses with life and urgency.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 1 July 2025
  • The advantages extend far beyond raw performance numbers.
    Siyu Huang, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.
    Joseph J. Kolb, Fox News, 18 July 2017
  • Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.
    OregonLive.com, OregonLive.com, 12 July 2017
Adjective
  • Nan’s rebellion was never loud or vulgar but always quietly confident and effortlessly elegant.
    Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • The comics were often dismissed as a vulgar form, but the bad joke of our superhero-movie culture is that most of it is a vulgarization of the comics.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • Brandi Glanville & Lisa Vanderpump (RHOBH) Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Kelsey McNeal/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Lisa and Brandi were an odd fit from the start: Brandi, the crass newbie; Lisa Vanderpump, the grande dame of Beverly Hills.
    Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 11 June 2025
  • Most Popular Most Popular Asking Eric: The parents refuse to cut their trip short despite their teen’s crisis Asking Eric: The parents refuse to cut their trip short despite their teen's crisis Dear Abby: Is there a way to tell the crass shirttail relations that they’re not invited?
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
Adjective
  • At times, Alcaraz was almost as clumsy as Federer in his last hurrah here against Hubert Hurkacz in 2021.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • But things get weighed down by a clumsy body-swapping plot and a pairing between Joe and 22 that never fully pays off.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • The natural linen and cane come together beautifully with the wood accents.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 8 July 2025
  • This natural cause-and-effect helps build self-control in decision making, which is more effective than a lecture alone.
    ​Wendy Wisner, Parents, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike the predictable drawers that pull out, this style slides out to the side, so pulling out paper clips feels more like an event than a rudimentary task.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 30 June 2025
  • Chávez even lost in 2021 to Anderson Silva, the former UFC champion and rudimentary boxer who lost a one-sided ring decision to Paul one year later.
    Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the Astors, who had amassed a nearly obscene amount of real estate in New York City, became the country’s first multimillionaires by smuggling opium.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 3 July 2025
  • The use of obscene or profane language, personal attack, libel, slander, defamation, physical violence or the threat thereof, as determined by the presiding officer, shall constitute a disturbing a lawful meeting.
    Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crude. Accessed 16 Jul. 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!