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Definition of grossnext
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gross

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noun

gross

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verb

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

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

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
These are all the gross and scary things that would happen to her body on a bean-only diet, from a few days to two years. Ayana Underwood, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026 RedBird’s gross profit, if the deal goes through, is $365 million or more than 7x its money, the person said. Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
The seventh installment's domestic debut of $64 million eclipses the next-highest premiere gross in the franchise by $20 million. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Mar. 2026 But bringing in even respected musicians may not always lead to a big box office gross, as The Front Room reflected, with that picture only grossing just over $3 million and coming and going with little fanfare. Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
And, as of Tuesday (Feb. 17), the film has grossed $38 million domestically and $22.8 million internationally for a worldwide tally of $60.8 million. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026 The descriptions of dead bodies on the true crime podcasts gross me out, but to see it in person is something else entirely. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gross
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gross
Adjective
  • The legislation would require social media platforms to estimate the age of users and exclude obscene content to children 16 years old or younger.
    Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The use of obscene or indecent clothing or signs will result in expulsion.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • From having the viscous juices of decomposed leaves that kept her plump leak through a tear in her side, as happened to a few of her siblings.
    María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Moustache joined my plump tortoiseshell Toffee, the progeny of frisky barn cats, an elderly rabbit rescued from neglect, and my best friend Bacon, a good dog adopted from Lifeline Puppy Rescue years before.
    Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Right now in America, when our discourse has gotten so crass and mean-spirited that to show the underlying kindness of this show is really resonating.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The beloved slapstick comedy is 85 minutes of pure entertainment, full of increasingly chaotic adventures and shockingly crass jokes that still produce guffaws decades later.
    Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Illinois and Chicago are high-tax, big-promise blue strongholds with long, tawdry histories of waste, fraud, patronage, insider deals and blatant corruption.
    Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, called the dinner a blatant pay-for–access scheme.
    Ben Weiss, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Living under an openly misogynistic president may have felt freakish in 2017, but by his second term, bigotry became yet another disgusting norm.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The amount of disrespect shown the Broncos is disgusting.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But on Monday, the team waived Jaden Ivey — who had spent a total of only 115 minutes on a basketball court in a Bulls jersey — after the guard went on a series of religious rants on his social media, including a bigoted diatribe against the NBA’s practice of hosting LGBTQ+ pride nights.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Depending on the source, Jews represented 5% to 8% of the total, even though Jews made up less than 1% of Argentina’s population at the time.
    Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Commerce officials said similar revenue losses would force cuts to public safety and municipal operations.
    Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • This budget will be funded by tax revenue from the boom in chip exports and the stock market rally, Park said.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Prosecutors said the scheme netted Smith more than $8 million by diverting royalty payments away from legitimate artists.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Gavan Biggins netted four goals, while David Kane scored twice as Rockland defeated Whitman-Hanson 7-5 in a nonleague battle.
    Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gross.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gross. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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