raw 1 of 2

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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raw

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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
In January 2020, just weeks after the WTO’s Appellate Body was decommissioned, Indonesia moved to impose a ban on the export of raw nickel. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 12 July 2025 Businesses can upload raw data to LLMS.txt files (the AI equivalent of robots.txt) to make content more accessible to AI crawlers, or implement OpenAI’s Model Context Protocol for direct agent access to their systems. Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
Raw beef stored above raw shelled eggs, crab and shrimp. Ebony Day, azcentral, 4 Mar. 2020 Several open pans of raw shelled eggs stored directly above ready-to-eat leafy greens in cooler. Ebony Day, azcentral, 15 Jan. 2020 See All Example Sentences for raw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw
Adjective
  • While uncooked eggs usually last in the fridge for longer, the process of hard-cooking eggs creates a thin layer of water between the cooked egg and the shell, which becomes an inviting environment for bacteria to grow, including the kinds of bacteria that lead an egg to spoil, per the USDA.
    Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 30 June 2025
  • Young brought out a pot of clean boiling water and a tray of perfect rows of uncooked gnocchi from the shadow kitchen behind the set.
    Allen Salkin, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Montana Department of Labor & Industry reported that its top three imports from Canada in 2021 were crude oil, platinum waste and scrap, and conifer wood.
    Jenna Sundel Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • China's demand for petrol and diesel is falling as electric vehicle sales surge, but the trend is being masked by the country's massive strategic stockpiling of crude oil, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Friday.
    Jenni Reid, CNBC, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • At the tight end position, a turbulent year around him in 2024 didn’t allow for any consistency for Jake Ferguson, especially when factoring in his injuries.
    Nick Harris July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2025
  • Chapek’s short and turbulent reign ended in 2022 when Iger returned as CEO.
    Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • Finally, Trump’s travel ban could have a chilling effect on future foreign medical applicants to the U.S. Prospective physicians may be deterred from considering medical training programs in America given the challenges and hurdles present in securing visas.
    Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
  • Critics said the program fueled a narrative of bias and created a chilling effect among the academic community.
    Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • Attendees in The Hague have framed the defense spending pledge and snappy communique as a response to the threat of Russia, not just the biting condemnation of the U.S. president.
    Ellie Cook — reporting from The Hague, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • As always, Danan’s voice is hysterically funny, her characters’ exhibiting a wry and biting sense of humor.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • The speculation was rampant all around the league when news of James’ decision broke, with rival executives wondering if this was a precursor to a trade request (James, remember, has a no-trade clause and could thus control any such move).
    Sam Amick, New York Times, 30 June 2025
  • The rampant abuse of 9-year-old Owen started as early as June 2023 and continued up until his death Sept. 19, 2024 when police were called to the home for an unresponsive child, prosecutors said.
    Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Throughout summer 2025, Gomez has been at the forefront of this year's most minimalist nail trends—from simple purple pastels to nearly naked glass manicures—but that hasn't always been her preference.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 July 2025
  • The real Centre Court felt naked on Monday without those men and women marching to their official postings.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • In 2021, Jalen Hurts pulled off a rare accomplishment by leading the Eagles' offense in rushing with 784 yards.
    Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
  • This feature in Gmail will be accessible in the navigation drawer, a UI feature that is increasingly rare in Google's apps but is essential to managing inboxes and labels in Gmail.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Raw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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