1
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining
unrefined sugar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
an unrefined mountaineer's hut
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
guilty of such unrefined behavior as eating with their mouths open
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unrefined
Peserico, too, focused on wearability, presenting a collection that showed us that being unfussy doesn’t mean unrefined.
—
Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Choose unrefined or virgin coconut oil over refined options, and perform a patch test to help avoid irritation or allergic reactions.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 14 Nov. 2025
Getty Images Industry proposals would ship unrefined ore to overseas processors, with no domestic value added or direct supply chain benefits.
—Kevin Green, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
The menu includes espresso drinks like mochas and lattes, along with drip coffee and cafe de olla, enhanced with a sweet syrup made with spices and piloncillo, unrefined sugar traditional in Latin America.
—Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for unrefined
Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Choose unrefined or virgin coconut oil over refined options, and perform a patch test to help avoid irritation or allergic reactions.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 14 Nov. 2025
Getty Images Industry proposals would ship unrefined ore to overseas processors, with no domestic value added or direct supply chain benefits.
—Kevin Green, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
The menu includes espresso drinks like mochas and lattes, along with drip coffee and cafe de olla, enhanced with a sweet syrup made with spices and piloncillo, unrefined sugar traditional in Latin America.
—Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for unrefined
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrefined
Adjective
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But it’s played sincerely, so the visual contrast just makes the connection feel clumsy, if not outright absurd.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2026
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McGee meets one of a clumsy TURF intern Pete, who is revealed to be Olivia's 18-year-old son, Matteo (Patrick Keleher) under interrogation.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Doncic claimed Bitadze directed a vulgar comment about Doncic’s family in Serbian toward the Lakers star guard.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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Tensions rose, neighbors said, to the point that King was heard at times swearing at Kirsten Wells as well as others using vulgar epithets.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Right now in America, when our discourse has gotten so crass and mean-spirited that to show the underlying kindness of this show is really resonating.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
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The beloved slapstick comedy is 85 minutes of pure entertainment, full of increasingly chaotic adventures and shockingly crass jokes that still produce guffaws decades later.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Heat has also now allowed more than 120 points in eight of the 10 games during this rough 2-8 stretch.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Italian coast guard operated in the Libyan search and rescue area amid rough weather conditions, a spokesman said on Wednesday.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Politically incorrect and in-your-face, with plenty of dark humor accentuating the drama, the show resembles the more cutting-edge TV — think Borgen or Rita — made by Sweden’s ruder neighbor Denmark.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
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Etiquette neither knows nor cares who is generous and who is stingy, and indecisive and rude are not opposites.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For example, synthetic blastoids develop a blastocoel cavity and the three main cell types (epiblast, trophectoderm, and primitive endoderm) within one week, just like natural blastocysts.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
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There are nine primitive, tent-only sites without electric access.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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While the YouGov survey was flawed, some British churches are seeing interest increase.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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Unlike their flawed first album, Queen’s second effort was nearly perfect to begin with.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The use of childish internet and video-game memes to describe violence is coarse and unworthy of the men and women who go in harm’s way.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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My dense, coarser hair holds onto humidity like a sponge.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unrefined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrefined. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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