crass
adjective
ˈkras 
1
a
: gross sense 2a
especially : having or indicating such grossness of mind as precludes delicacy and discrimination
b
: being beneath one's dignity
crass concerns of daily life
c
—used as a pejorative intensifier
crass flatterycrass propaganda
2
: guided by or indicative of base or materialistic values
crass commercialism
crass measures of success
crassly adverb
crassness noun
Synonyms
- coarse
- common
- crude
- gross
- ill-bred
- illiberal [archaic]
- incult
- insensible
- low
- lowbred
- lowbrow
- raffish
- rough
- rough-hewn
- roughneck
- rude
- rugged
- tasteless
- uncouth
- uncultivated
- uncultured
- unpolished
- unrefined
- vulgar
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
We are urgently in need of progress, but not if it means the kind of crass complacency that ignores the fact that history for most men and women to date has meant misery and fruitless toil … 
Terry Eagleton, Harper's, March 2005 Minor criticism though it was compared to the rest, the most galling calumny of all as far as Gaius Marius was concerned was the perpetual inference that he was unacceptably crass because he had no Greek. Colleen McCullough, The First Man in Rome, (1990) 1991 He had removed her from that crass monied Middle Atlantic society where she had seemed stilted and fragile. John Updike, Couples, 1968 A few people seemed shocked by her crass comments. a loudmouthed jerk given to rude jokes and crass comments
Terry Eagleton, Harper's, March 2005 Minor criticism though it was compared to the rest, the most galling calumny of all as far as Gaius Marius was concerned was the perpetual inference that he was unacceptably crass because he had no Greek. Colleen McCullough, The First Man in Rome, (1990) 1991 He had removed her from that crass monied Middle Atlantic society where she had seemed stilted and fragile. John Updike, Couples, 1968 A few people seemed shocked by her crass comments. a loudmouthed jerk given to rude jokes and crass comments Recent Examples on the Web That includes the crass and hypocritical efforts last year to paint Saule Omarova, a banking law expert at Cornell Law School who had been nominated as comptroller of the currency, as a closet communist. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2022 Examples abound, but one of the latest is the party’s embrace of weak energy policies and its decision to play footsie with the Left’s climate hysterics for crass political purposes. Chip Roy, National Review, 5 July 2022 Miyake’s origami-like pleats transformed usually crass polyester into chic. Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022 Miyake’s origami-like pleats transformed usually crass polyester into chic. Yuri Kageyama, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2022 Her Diana was temperamental, petty and crass, but ultimately winning. New York Times, 7 Aug. 2022 Elvis would never have been so crass as to have fired Colonel from the stage. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 June 2022 To be crass, there’s also the not inconsequential need to service $30 trillion in federal debt. James Freeman, WSJ, 24 May 2022 And Instagram fatigue is about more than crass performativity: Users have also grown tired of platforms’ incessant interchangeability. Wired, 7 Aug. 2022 See More
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2022 Examples abound, but one of the latest is the party’s embrace of weak energy policies and its decision to play footsie with the Left’s climate hysterics for crass political purposes. Chip Roy, National Review, 5 July 2022 Miyake’s origami-like pleats transformed usually crass polyester into chic. Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022 Miyake’s origami-like pleats transformed usually crass polyester into chic. Yuri Kageyama, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2022 Her Diana was temperamental, petty and crass, but ultimately winning. New York Times, 7 Aug. 2022 Elvis would never have been so crass as to have fired Colonel from the stage. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 June 2022 To be crass, there’s also the not inconsequential need to service $30 trillion in federal debt. James Freeman, WSJ, 24 May 2022 And Instagram fatigue is about more than crass performativity: Users have also grown tired of platforms’ incessant interchangeability. Wired, 7 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin crassus thick, gross
First Known Use
circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
crass
adjective
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste a loudmouthed jerk given to rude jokes and crass comments Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- vulgar
- rude
- crude
- gross
- coarse
- uncouth
- common
- tasteless
- clumsy
- lowbrow
- rough
- uncultured
- raffish
- unpolished
- unrefined
- low
- rugged
- boorish
- roughneck
- uncultivated
- insensible
- illiberal
- churlish
- thoughtless
- ill-bred
- clownish
- loutish
- insensitive
- ungentlemanly
- indelicate
- incult
- inconsiderate
- oafish
- rough-hewn
- cloddish
- unsophisticated
- tacky
- lowbred
- rustic
- lumpish
- lubberly
- inelegant
- barbaric
- graceless
- uncivilized
- countrified
- unmannered
- barbarous
- provincial
- unmannerly
- mannerless
- rustical
- animallike
- countryfied
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- genteel
- tasteful
- civilized
- smooth
- cultured
- polished
- aristocratic
- refined
- courtly
- patrician
- cultivated
- elegant
- restrained
- sensitive
- graceful
- thoughtful
- well-bred
- sophisticated
- gracious
- considerate
- ultrarefined
- urbane
- citified
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of crass are dense, dull, dumb, and stupid. While all these words mean "lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions," crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy.
a crass, materialistic people
While in some cases nearly identical to crass, dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas.
too dense to take a hint
While the synonyms dull and crass are close in meaning, dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock.
monotonous work that leaves the mind dull
The synonyms dumb and crass are sometimes interchangeable, but dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.
too dumb to figure out what's going on
The words stupid and crass are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary.
stupid students just keeping the seats warm
stupid with drink