1
2
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
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3
as in inexperienced
lacking in adult experience or maturity
recruiters like to say the military turns raw youths into responsible men and women
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4
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
the day of the funeral turned out to be one of those bleak, blustery, raw winter days that was as gloomy as our spirits
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5
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
evenings in those mountains, even during the summer, tend to be a little raw
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6
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
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7
as in rampant
showing no signs of being under control
a frightening display of raw anger
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8
as in naked
lacking or shed of clothing
a pristine stretch of sand where beachgoers commonly sunbathe raw
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as in nudity
the state of having no clothes on one's body
a secluded swimming hole where we could swim in the raw
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of raw
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Cooked chicken and raw chicken were measured below proper hot holding temperature.
—Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Mark Sutherland, Variety, 4 July 2025
Lina is played by the ghoulishly-great Betty Gilpin, who does in her craft what real-life Lina does in her soul—glitter in the raw.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raw
Adjective
Friday’s segment capped off the news program’s rollout of the emotionally raw and astonishingly candid interview Guthrie, 54, sat down for with Kotb, her primary substitute for the past seven weeks.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Cooked chicken and raw chicken were measured below proper hot holding temperature.
—Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
This, then, was Oasis in the raw, a throwback to their unstoppable ascent in much smaller venues than this rather than the enormo-dome gigs of their latter years.
—Mark Sutherland, Variety, 4 July 2025
Lina is played by the ghoulishly-great Betty Gilpin, who does in her craft what real-life Lina does in her soul—glitter in the raw.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raw
Adjective
-
Some people prefer the uncooked version of the vegetable.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The price of uncooked ground beef has increased about 15% since February 2025, according to the CPI data.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
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Schaeffer won over most of the Rockies players quickly, but, fielding a young, inexperienced team, Colorado limped toward the finish line, going 4-21 in September.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The area's geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can contribute to turbulent air and quick weather changes that pose hazards for aviation.—
JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Three people were killed when a tour helicopter broke apart near Honolulu in April 2019, and that December seven people died, including three children, when one crashed in turbulent weather near the Na Pali Coast.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In previous interviews with USA TODAY, experts said the FCC's action could have a chilling effect on television broadcasters’ speech.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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The perils of late-stage capitalism and the swerve away from Antihero TV toward toxic yuri make Galsworthy’s chilling protagonist Soames Forsyte quite difficult to root for, really.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Much like the days getting longer and the air less biting, a sure harbinger that spring is coming is the 33rd annual West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Naperville.—
Annie Alleman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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As the nation bonded as one over the past two weeks biting nails, screaming at wins, wincing at crashes and choking up at all the beautiful moments of Olympic competition, another group of athletes were – and still are – out honing their multi-level championship skills.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There is no rampant cheating or election fraud in California.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Last week, aldermen voted 30-18 to freeze the ordinance’s implementation, citing rampant concerns from many restaurant owners that the hikes were significantly harming their businesses.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As Barber fell to the canvas, Grasso put her in a rear naked chokehold before the fight was quickly called.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In spite of a seismic crossing of the technological Rubicon, an abandonment of the centuries-old deference to the naked eye, a codifying and calcifying of the most atomic-level building block of the sport, baseball mostly just looked like baseball.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
No nudity, though, and no dance.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Creator and host Eric André took the late-night talk show, a TV genre with all-too-familiar conventions, and twisted it beyond recognition with harrowing celebrity interviews, person-on-the-street stunts, jump-scare pranks, and gratuitous nudity.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Raw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raw. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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