1
2
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining
raw sugar is honey-colored because the crystals retain cane juices, minerals, and other impurities that haven't been refined out
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3
as in inexperienced
lacking in adult experience or maturity
recruiters like to say the military turns raw youths into responsible men and women
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4
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
the day of the funeral turned out to be one of those bleak, blustery, raw winter days that was as gloomy as our spirits
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5
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
evenings in those mountains, even during the summer, tend to be a little raw
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6
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
bundle up if you're going sailing, as there's a raw wind out there in the bay
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7
as in rampant
showing no signs of being under control
a frightening display of raw anger
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8
as in naked
lacking or shed of clothing
a pristine stretch of sand where beachgoers commonly sunbathe raw
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as in nudity
the state of having no clothes on one's body
a secluded swimming hole where we could swim in the raw
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of raw
Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
These are the words of someone determined not to repeat their father’s sins, someone who wants to be a little different than what a lot of the world might expect of a player with his unique brand of raw power and athleticism.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Marley Dewey, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
These ones turn out amazing—topped with sugar in the raw.
—Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 22 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for raw
Adjective
Below, Stewart and Poots talk to Deadline about hiding hernias, falling in love with raw, compelling stories and learning to succumb to the ebbs and flows of vulnerability.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
These are the words of someone determined not to repeat their father’s sins, someone who wants to be a little different than what a lot of the world might expect of a player with his unique brand of raw power and athleticism.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
If ingested raw, pathogens may remain on the surface of the placenta.
—Marley Dewey, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
These ones turn out amazing—topped with sugar in the raw.
—Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 22 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for raw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw
Adjective
-
The facility had different meats — including uncooked chicken, beef and fish — stored together in a chest freezer.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
This recipe calls for uncooked lasagna sheets, which removes the extra step of precooking the pasta.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Ten of the top 15 quarterbacks in the portal have already committed, and after that top tier, many of the remaining quarterbacks available are either young, inexperienced passers from Power 4 programs or starters from Group of 5 or FCS schools.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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According to the University of Massachusetts Global, teacher turnover results in a large number of inexperienced teachers being placed in classrooms, meaning more money is put toward recruiting, hiring and training.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Use extra caution near the surf zone as these large waves will be capable of sweeping people into the frigid and turbulent ocean water.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The story of the Platonic representation hypothesis paper began in early 2023, a turbulent time for AI researchers.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Threatening retirees’ ranks and pensions, which took a lifetime to earn, has a chilling effect.—
Michael Szalma,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
-
However, apple trees require proper chilling hours to break dormancy and produce fruit.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The conservative activist’s 42-minute video posted the day after Christmas quickly spread, prompting stepped up immigration enforcement, frozen federal funds and more biting rhetoric against the Somali community from President Donald Trump.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The protests in Iran began two weeks ago in Tehran’s bazaars over rampant inflation, but have since spiraled into wider demonstrations against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his regime, which has ruled the country since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
11 Jan. 2026
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The protests, which began on December 28 as demonstrations in Tehran’s bazaars over rampant inflation, have since spread to more than 100 cities, posing the biggest challenge to the Iranian regime in years.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
One foot was naked, and the other was frozen in its boot.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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That critique of American foreign policy – that US high-mindedness and democratic idealism conceal naked corporate interests – persisted through the Cold War and into the 21st Century.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The viewer never sees anything that graphic; there’s no Game of Thrones–style full-frontal nudity, though one does glimpse a generous amount of butt cheek.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The whole issue of award show expletives came to the Supreme Court twice, the last time in 2012, when the justices struck down fines on Fox Television Stations over expletives uttered by Cher and Nicole Richie during the Billboard Music Awards, as well as nudity that aired on ABC’s NYPD Blue.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Raw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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