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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unrefined
Fiber is found in whole, unrefined plant foods like sweet potatoes, beans, and brown rice.
—
Gillian Mohney, Verywell Health, 3 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for unrefined
Gillian Mohney, Verywell Health, 3 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for unrefined
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrefined
Adjective
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Perugino’s compositions tend to be clumsy in their parallels—two people on the left, two people on the right—and the skin typically looks like candle wax.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The collapse of the talks wasn’t the fault of bad faith or clumsy diplomacy.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The word was considered so vulgar that it was left out of early dictionaries and was rarely printed, though Adams says people were certainly using it.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
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One day, Dahlstrom made a vulgar joke in a lunchroom referencing oral sex and pubic hair, according to the employee.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Plastic trinkets and graffiti, television sets and bumper stickers, road signs and wigs—many might describe these items as disposable culture, signs of America’s crass habit of regarding anything as art.—
Hua Hsu,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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Alas, Deborah’s crass attempt to extort her fans immediately goes sideways.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Junior starter Colin Jack settled in after a rough third inning to pitch a complete game for Batavia (9-9-1, 5-3).—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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It's garnered a reputation for rough conditions for people in custody and guards alike over its history.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But no, the friend is not being rude.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
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In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This was a time when roads were primitive, and the need was to link cities with rural areas.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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Any set of prime numbers is automatically primitive, because primes have no factors (except themselves and the number one).—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Hubble famously launched to LEO with a flawed mirror, which was fixed by astronauts during a servicing mission in 1993.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Policymakers should be focused on unwinding this deeply flawed legacy, not doubling down on it.—
Elaine Parker,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cutting up large or coarse ingredients like banana peels will speed up their decomposition.—
Jessica Damiano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court, which ruled against Lyle after deciding the coarse demeanor was a necessary part of the work environment.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unrefined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrefined. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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