GRAINY Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

grainy

adjective

ˈgrā-nē

Definition of grainy

as in coarse

made up of large particles grainy sand kept it off the rankings as one of the nation's best beaches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 grainy In Barbara Forever, an exquisite new documentary by Brydie O’Connor, there’s even old, grainy footage of Hammer essentially saying as much before a screening of her films. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 On sunny days these stones appear dried out, white and grainy, while the thin trickle of water passing through makes up a mere fraction of the river’s width. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026 In open court, everyone watches this grainy security footage like the Zapruder film. — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026 The texture gets grainy, and both the color and flavor can diminish. — Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grainy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grainy

Adjective

Oils suit dry, damaged, coarse or itchy-scalp hair and overnight treatment.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Authorization and enforcement are almost always too coarse for what production actually requires.

— Alex Salazar, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of coarse

Adjective

On the Mediterranean side, Playa de Santa Bárbara is a wide sandy beach north of the border, with the immense Rock of Gibraltar rising to the south — a potentially spectacular foreground.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026
In 2025, Kuznietsov was arrested by Italian police in Rimini – a city in northern Italy known for its sandy beaches and Roman landmarks – and later extradited to Germany.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sandy

Adjective

This view is shared by several other exchange operators, which oppose the CFTC’s creation of granular rules meant to obstruct affiliates.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026
The one downside to writing ballot questions in the easiest-to-understand language possible, is that many of the granular details will be cut.

— The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of granular

Browse Nearby Words

grains

grainy

grammar

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Grainy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grainy. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of grainy

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes