gross 1 of 3

adjective

ˈgrōs How to pronounce gross (audio)
Definition of grossnext
1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society he was thrown out of class for making a gross gesture

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2
as in plump
having an excess of body fat a very gross cat trying to squeeze through a small opening in the fence

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3
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste she haughtily refused to mix with what she called "the gross masses who are unappreciative of fine art"

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4
as in blatant
very noticeable especially for being incorrect or bad a gross mistake that some proofreader should have caught

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5
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the little boy insisted that worms are gross

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gross

2 of 3

noun

1
as in total

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2
as in revenue

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gross

3 of 3

verb

as in to net

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word gross different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gross are coarse, obscene, ribald, and vulgar. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

When can coarse be used instead of gross?

The synonyms coarse and gross are sometimes interchangeable, but coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

Where would obscene be a reasonable alternative to gross?

Although the words obscene and gross have much in common, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

When could ribald be used to replace gross?

The meanings of ribald and gross largely overlap; however, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

When is it sensible to use vulgar instead of gross?

While in some cases nearly identical to gross, vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

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 gross
Adjective
That led its net income to grow by about 100% and its gross margin to grow by 14 percentage points compared to the prior year in its first quarter ending in August, according to the company's earnings report. — Colleen McKown, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 The buck taped out at 284 5/8 inches (gross) with a net score of 277 3/8, according to the Boone and Crockett Club (although Pope and Young recorded them as 279 7/8). — Al Dawson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
Sheeran’s Loop Tour was the highest-grossing in the world, with an average box office gross of over $7 million per city, Pollstar said in May. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026 Labor Day weekend fell within the week, but seemed to have little impact on the gross. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
That film, of course, is Bohemian Rhapsody, which currently holds the all-time box office record as the highest grossing music biopic of all time with a worldwide box office tally of $911 million. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026 The grocer didn’t respond to a request for comment, but a retail property expert familiar with store leases estimated that Erewhon would need to gross more than $1 million per week to cover the Culver City rent disclosed in the recent lawsuit. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for gross
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gross
  1. obscene
  2. plump
  3. crass
  4. blatant
  5. disgusting
  6. total
  7. revenue
  8. net
Adjective
  • The disingenuous campaign ads, the obscene amount of money that is spent to air them and the promises that are rarely fulfilled are enough to make one cynical.
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The public must contend head-on with a collapsing currency and runaway inflation, and to ordinary Iranians, describing the present situation as sustainable would sound almost obscene.
    — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, nano-hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid draw in and hold onto moisture, leaving skin feeling plump and supple without weighing it down.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The brothel is huge and painted black, like a plump beetle luxuriating in the sun, and the opulence of its internal decoration is matched by Kate herself.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of plump
Adjective
  • But the fashionable-at-the-time nakedness of the YBAs’ desire for money, most completely embodied by Hirst, quickly became crass.
    — Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Murdoch is thick-skinned and accustomed to being underestimated by the condescending Brits, who see him as a crass interloper.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • As election season starts in much of the world, officials note an uptick in both blatant and subtle uses of social media to sow lies among voters.
    — the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026
  • How successful the gerrymandering actually was remains to be seen — Republicans are polling poorly in the Lone Star State, perhaps in part because of their blatant attempt to cheat voters out of their voices.
    — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of blatant
Adjective
  • That’s likely to inspire either affection or immediate exhaustion, depending on your fondness for the infamously disgusting performance group.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Noun
  • Combined with the families who signed up on their own, that brings the total to nearly 70 million accounts, according to the White House.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
  • DeSantis warned of forecast rain totals of 4 to 8 inches across the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend this weekend.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of total
Noun
  • About 25% of EY’s $57 billion in global revenues last year came from work generated through alliance and ecosystem partners, Truncale said.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors say the aim of the plot was to permanently disrupt gas deliveries and prevent Russia from using the revenues to finance its military operations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of revenue
Verb
  • Under constant threats from above, residents live largely in a spider’s world, with roads, sidewalks and gas stations draped in netting to entangle drones.
    — Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Fanatics Sportsbook is offering new users a chance to pick with a $20 wager, netting them $350 in FanCash when using promo code FOXNEWS350.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of net

Phrases Containing gross

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groping
gross
grossed
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Cite this Entry

“Gross.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gross. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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