raw 1 of 2

Definition of rawnext
1
as in uncooked
not cooked you should wash your hands after handling raw chicken

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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raw

2 of 2

noun

as in nudity
the state of having no clothes on one's body a secluded swimming hole where we could swim in the raw

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective raw differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of raw are crude, rough, and rude. While all these words mean "lacking in social refinement," raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished.

turning raw youths into polished performers

When might crude be a better fit than raw?

The words crude and raw can be used in similar contexts, but crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive.

a crude joke

When could rough be used to replace raw?

The meanings of rough and raw largely overlap; however, rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness.

rough manners

When is rude a more appropriate choice than raw?

The words rude and raw are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy.

rude behavior

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 raw
Adjective
Paul drew big, young crowds on the campaign trail, considerable media coverage, and respectable raw national vote totals. W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2026 In fact, the raw scoring is up. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
Noun
They can even be blanched or used raw in salads. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026 Once the nuts are washed, dried, de-husked and de-shelled, they can either be cooked or prepared raw. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for raw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw
Adjective
  • There’s also an add-on section that offers extras like heat-and-eat breakfast items, prepared lunches, snacks, and extra uncooked proteins.
    Erin Bunch, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 May 2026
  • To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.
    Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • The team overachieved this season partly because Mazzulla turned an inexperienced supporting cast into a strength.
    Jay King, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • Short selling can be an intellectually demanding approach to the market, and many inexperienced traders fall into a trap, lured by overvaluation and hype.
    David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • Mourinho’s three-year reign was a turbulent era, played out along toxic battle-lines against one of the greatest sides in football history in Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
    Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • The controversy offered a preview of what could be a turbulent Senate race in Kansas.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • In a chilling sequence, Dennis ties a garbage bag over Mallory’s head and drags her into the woods.
    Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026
  • Bobb believes the dogmatic way lawmakers talk about civics has had a chilling effect.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 2 May 2026
  • The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In it, a Native Hawaiian family struggles to reclaim the ancestral lands that colonization, tourism, and rampant development threaten to overrun.
    Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
  • Something, anything to break the spell of poor play, bad luck and rampant injuries that have threatened to sink a once-promising season into the dirt.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • The International Esperanto Naturist Organization showered passersby with pamphlets featuring stock photos of aspirationally fit, naked bodies.
    Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
  • The scene took a second and its thanks to slow motion that Rahul Lakhmani was able to capture the moment, which would be impossible to see with a naked eye.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Noun
  • Penland would eventually flag eighty out of the script’s hundred and twenty pages for material that alarmed him, ranging from nudity to events in the film that are not in the Gospels.
    Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
  • No more camping, or pooping, or nudity on the sidewalks.
    Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 30 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Raw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

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