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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in inexperienced
lacking in adult experience or maturity
recruiters like to say the military turns raw youths into responsible men and women
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
evenings in those mountains, even during the summer, tend to be a little raw
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in rampant
showing no signs of being under control
a frightening display of raw anger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in naked
lacking or shed of clothing
a pristine stretch of sand where beachgoers commonly sunbathe raw
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
april 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Relish Trays There is no savory snack as beloved as the relish plate, an assortment of raw and pickled vegetables typically served before a meal to perk up your appetite without filling you up.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Mark Sutherland, Variety, 4 July 2025
Lina is played by the ghoulishly-great Betty Gilpin, who does in her craft what real-life Lina does in her soul—glitter in the raw.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raw
Adjective
Meanwhile, 13 eateries received citations for health code violations including blackish mold-like growth in the facility, raw ducks improperly thawed and having a moth inside a container of rice.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
april 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Relish Trays There is no savory snack as beloved as the relish plate, an assortment of raw and pickled vegetables typically served before a meal to perk up your appetite without filling you up.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
This, then, was Oasis in the raw, a throwback to their unstoppable ascent in much smaller venues than this rather than the enormo-dome gigs of their latter years.
—Mark Sutherland, Variety, 4 July 2025
Lina is played by the ghoulishly-great Betty Gilpin, who does in her craft what real-life Lina does in her soul—glitter in the raw.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw
Adjective
-
The seeds and surrounding juices inside uncooked tomatoes can be slightly bitter and astringent, so squeeze them out before chopping the flesh (this also prevents the sauce from getting too watery).—
Claire Saffitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Once customers are seated and have ordered, a rolling robot blasting energetic tunes will turn the corner with their uncooked items.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.—
Mike Kaye
April 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Smoothing turbulent waters and reminding both sides about their common bonds were what those trips were all about.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
News of the lawsuit comes at a turbulent time for the Department of Human Services.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To the left is a relaxed deck for post-dip chilling; to the right is the beautifully restrained restaurant, partly enclosed in a glasshouse with an undulating canopy roof.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
-
They are measured in the reputational damage that will take years to remediate, and in the chilling effect on future endeavors intended to do good at scale.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Much like the days getting longer and the air less biting, a sure harbinger that spring is coming is the 33rd annual West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Naperville.—
Annie Alleman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As the nation bonded as one over the past two weeks biting nails, screaming at wins, wincing at crashes and choking up at all the beautiful moments of Olympic competition, another group of athletes were – and still are – out honing their multi-level championship skills.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Bay Area federal lawmakers marked Earth Day by introducing a bill Wednesday aimed at mitigating rampant whale deaths in the San Francisco Bay — an alarming statistic which has reached its highest level in 25 years.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Those issues include housing shortages, rampant homelessness, the nation’s highest levels of unemployment and poverty, uncertain water supplies, soaring utility costs, shamefully low academic achievement in public schools and a state budget in chronic deficit.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In theory, this could be a standard beauty modification, like Ingres tossing a few extra vertebrae into a naked back.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
But when Jeff got naked in public, the New York Establishment utterly rejected him.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Slyly, the series reveals all the ways in which nudity is or isn’t sanctioned, bodily labor affirmed or condemned.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
-
One way to stop this proliferation of deep-fake nudity is to prosecute the offenders and make examples that such foolery has consequences.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Raw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
