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
Too much authenticity can feel raw and unpalatable, while too much transgression can repel. Maxim Voronov, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2025 It is made up of three different tests that compare the raw 3-D rendering power of the two cards. Anshel Sag, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
Employee cracked a raw shelled egg with gloved hands then handled a clean plate and kitchen utensils without washing hands between tasks. Ebony Day, azcentral, 25 Dec. 2019 Tim RoneyGetty Images Her 1995 raw, ragey, best-selling album, Jagged Little Pill, spoke to a generation—and inspired a musical of the same name, opening on Broadway this month. Alanis Morissette, Marie Claire, 8 Nov. 2019 See all Example Sentences for raw 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw
Adjective
  • Recipe Tips From The Southern Living Test Kitchen One cup of uncooked rice will yield about three cups of cooked rice.
    Craig Ruff, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
  • However, eggs that are still in their shells aren’t required to be pasteurized, leading to potential health risks if eaten raw or uncooked.
    Fernanda Galan, Sacramento Bee, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The Unity is a crude oil tanker that is 245.07 meters (approximately 804 feet) long and 42 meters (approximately 137 feet) wide, according to MarineTraffic.com.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Immediately following Trump’s remarks, crude oil prices turned lower.
    Dan Mangan,Christina Wilkie, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This data supports the growing trend in investing in collectables and historical artefacts, which are more likely to hold and increase their value in turbulent financial markets than other traditional forms of investment.
    Laia Farran Graves, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Playing well at Torrey Pines could be another building block, after missing the cut during his turbulent 2024.
    Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • There is surely something chilling about the idea of billionaires talking openly and even gleefully about their wish to eliminate the jobs of some public sector workers and to freeze the salaries of others.
    Jeffery Vacante, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2025
  • The film was at certain times a chilling representation of fear, trauma, and death, but at others hauntingly lovely and funny.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Created by Tony McNamara, who earned Oscar nominations for his writing work on both The Favourite and Poor Things, The Great offers the same combination of lush costumes and scenery mixed with a biting commentary on the world, and a woman’s place in it.
    Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Her awful journey is a raging scream against the patriarchy and a biting critique of how women are viewed, especially by other women.
    The Week US, theweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Inconsistent enforcement by untrained or younger employees in convenience stores has led to rampant underage sales in the U.S.
    Markus Lindblad, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Harvard University will provide additional protections for Jewish students under a settlement announced on Tuesday that resolves two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.
    Jonathan Stempel, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Now closer to Earth than at any time since late 2022 and until early 2027, the red planet—visible below Jupiter—looks a golden-reddish color to the naked eye.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • All month, four planets — Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars — will appear to line up and be bright enough to see with the naked eye in the first few hours after dark, according to NASA.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • On Monday, January 20, the 47-year-old Yeezy founder gave fans a rare peek into his personal life and creative process, sharing how North, his eldest of four kids with ex-wife Kim Kardashian — the exes also share Saint, 9, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 5 — inspired his return to the mixing board.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
  • The rare sighting was captured in photos and left officials stunned.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near raw

Cite this Entry

“Raw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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