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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
What’s the grossest bodega order? Zach Schiffman, Curbed, 10 Apr. 2026 That program requires participating owners to share 55% of gross revenue, plus $180 a day and taxes, according to the lawsuit. Larry Seward, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
Forbes magazine reported that production costs for the latter film ballooned to more than $370 million, but its worldwide gross was a relatively paltry $206 million. René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026 The animation film made $46 million domestically and $42 million internationally for a total worldwide gross of $88 million. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Mar. 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
  • Weapon violations dropped more than 13%, and crimes involving pornography or obscene material were down more than 23%, according to the report.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Do better, or consider hiring people who paint a vivid enough picture with words rather than having to lean on photographers who seem to have an obscene bloodlust.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The centerpiece, adorned with plump peaches and a full moon, blends an American style of clay-throwing with carving techniques Saw learned in Jingdezhen.
    Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Vitamin E and sunflower seed oil buff out uneven texture and plump fine lines.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 8 Apr. 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
  • These complaints demonstrate a clear and consistent pattern of obfuscation and blatant disregard of campaign finance laws.
    John Gates, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The plan for older students is blatant.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This was in itself disgusting but also came to represent the city’s problems.
    Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The totals are incomplete because agencies like the FBI have found ways to access the data without reporting the searches publicly, said Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Since October, 23 people have died in ICE custody, already surpassing the total for the prior fiscal year and now on pace to be the deadliest period in two decades.
    Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The eponymous public relations firm his father founded in 1952 has ridden — and shaped — the growth of its industry to become the world’s largest communications group, with annual revenues of almost $1 billion.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
  • However, excluding pro athletes might be difficult to accomplish with NIL and revenue-share and with seasoned pro basketball players suiting up for college teams.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Igor Chernyshov netted his third goal in the past two games on a power play to open the scoring for the Sharks.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Speculators had been holding net short positions that set records for both depth and duration since turning from net long to net short in April 2024.
    SJ Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 13 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gross.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gross. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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