Definition of coarsenext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word coarse different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of coarse are gross, obscene, ribald, and vulgar. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

When can gross be used instead of coarse?

The words gross and coarse can be used in similar contexts, but gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

When could obscene be used to replace coarse?

While the synonyms obscene and coarse are close in meaning, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

Where would ribald be a reasonable alternative to coarse?

The meanings of ribald and coarse largely overlap; however, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

When might vulgar be a better fit than coarse?

The words vulgar and coarse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

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 coarse Red and green clay in America is coarse stone that has far more friction and less give than European clay. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 May 2026 Finer clays, silts and coarser sands would all have been deposited by different processes. Geoff Emberling, The Conversation, 19 May 2026 Access can be opened up without allowing the experience to become coarse. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 The man looked down at his own hands, which felt heavy and coarse. Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for coarse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coarse
Adjective
  • The brand’s classic coats were joined by handsome bomber jackets in grained leather or suede, cocooning puffers and enveloping shearling jackets and stoles that were lined with contrasting napa for extra luxe.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Her husband says that's a very vulgar pet.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 28 May 2026
  • Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s biographer Andrew Lownie shared a vulgar pickup line that the former prince allegedly used while trying to pick up women.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • That’s enough to send Tom over the edge, screaming at his boss about how his obscene hobby doesn’t give him any idea what war is really like.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 24 May 2026
  • Russian authorities continue to pay obscene sums for those willing to sign up.
    Daniel DePetris, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Adjective
  • During the debate, Joe Biden frequently lost his train of thought, stumbled over answers, and appeared hoarse, fueling concerns among voters and party leaders.
    Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
  • Signs include panting, a hoarse bark, scuffing or dragging their toes along the ground, and sometimes regurgitation or swallowing problems.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • The humble insects, which have jagged wings and fuzzy, thick legs, migrate every year from the Sierra Nevada to warmer coastal areas in winter, laying eggs which grow into caterpillars and eventually new butterflies.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
  • Seismic images of mid-ocean ridges typically show rough and jagged terrain, formed when lava oozes up into the cold ocean along faults or fissures and hardens suddenly into stone.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 May 2026
Adjective
  • Common travel regrets stem from preventable issues like poor planning, budget problems, and choosing the wrong companions.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 June 2026
  • O’Farrell’s inclination for narratives propelled by brutal coincidence and fatally poor timing tenders a Hardy-esque vision of the world, one that emphasizes the rigid, often cruel limits of an individual’s jurisdiction over the course of their life.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • This shrub likes to grow in moist, organically rich soil, but also tolerates poor sandy soils and occasional dryness.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
  • Mavillette Beach Provincial Park Not far from Yarmouth, Mavillette Beach Provincial Park offers over a kilometer of sandy coastline.
    Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Adjective
  • But those efforts did their part to contribute to the overall sense of the Cannes Film Festival as the center of the moviegoing world for 11 days in May, somewhere where crass corporate product lived alongside uncompromising arthouse efforts in a broad-spectrum display of what constitutes cinema.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 27 May 2026
  • Directed by Nicolas Athane and Marco Nguyen, Jim Queen is a crass, profane, giddily stupid romp through a heap of stereotypes about gay life in Paris.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Coarse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coarse. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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