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
Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
However, the crude tanker segment was less affected compared to other shipping sectors.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 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
Hydrogen sulfide is a byproduct of crude oil refining.
—Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
However, the crude tanker segment was less affected compared to other shipping sectors.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 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 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crude
2 of 2 noun
: crude oil
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