raw material

Definition of raw materialnext
as in potential
the basic elements from which something can be developed Canada now converts most of its raw materials into manufactured goods such as automobiles and auto parts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 material Wool Blankets New wool blankets are an investment—the raw materials are costly, and production is labor-intensive. Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026 Thierry Pairault, a China-Africa expert at France's National Center for Scientific Research, said that while the new policy might have some benefits for agricultural products, most African raw material exports like oil and minerals already had tariff-free access to China. ABC News, 1 May 2026 If someone’s job is to mine reality for meaning, intimacy can feel like raw material. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026 Models are sycophantic because a great deal of language use on the internet – the raw material that chatbots learn from – displays sycophantic features. Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for raw material
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw material
Noun
  • Children are seen as neither a treasure nor the future flag bearers of this country’s immense potential and responsibility.
    Randi Weingarten, Fortune, 6 May 2026
  • Along with the launch of its chatbot for clinicians last month, OpenAI also published a wish list that the company described as a blueprint for unlocking AI’s potential to change the broader health care system.
    Brittany Trang, STAT, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
    Dylan Sherman, Arkansas Online, 7 May 2026
  • Junkanoo revelry is dedicated to the dead, and here Munroe commemorates Beadle through a series of paintings depicting a memorial procession based on photographs by the Bahamian photographer Jackson Petit, as well as through Beadle’s material legacy.
    Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raw material.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw%20material. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on raw material

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster