cruder; crudest
1
: marked by the primitive, gross, or elemental or by uncultivated simplicity or vulgarity
a crude stereotype
crude tools
crude jokes
2
: existing in a natural state and unaltered by cooking or processing
crude oil
crude ore
3
: rough or inexpert in plan or execution
a crude shelter
4
: lacking a covering, glossing, or concealing element : obvious
crude facts
5
: tabulated without being broken down into classes
the crude death rate
crudely
adverb
crudeness
noun
: a substance in its natural unprocessed state
especially
: unrefined petroleum
Synonyms
Examples of crude in a Sentence
Adjective
They built a crude shelter out of branches.
a crude summary of the country's history
She first described the procedure in crude terms, and then went into more detail.
Recent Examples on the Web
Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Married to Stanley, a man of carnal appetites and vulgar manners, Stella has embraced the crude pleasures of realism, while her freeloading sister still clings to tattered aristocratic illusions.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The vast majority of U.S. crude is consumed within the country, which is also the world’s largest oil consumer.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crude 
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Adjective
The colors, font and typography were a crude approximation of the signs posted by the campaign advocating for the proposition’s passage.
—Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Married to Stanley, a man of carnal appetites and vulgar manners, Stella has embraced the crude pleasures of realism, while her freeloading sister still clings to tattered aristocratic illusions.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
In oil markets, U.S. crude rose to $71.76 a barrel, while Brent crude climbed to $75.39, reflecting production delays announced by major oil producers, including Saudi Arabia.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The vast majority of U.S. crude is consumed within the country, which is also the world’s largest oil consumer.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crude
Dictionary Entries Near crude
Cite this Entry
“Crude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crude. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crude
2 of 2 noun
: crude oil
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