crude
1 of 2adjective
ˈkrüd 
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
6
archaic : unripe, immature
crudely adverb
crudeness noun
crude
2 of 2noun
: a substance in its natural unprocessed state
especially : unrefined petroleum
Synonyms
Adjective
- native
- natural
- raw
- rude
- undressed
- unprocessed
- unrefined
- untreated
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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
Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 12 Sep. 2022 The war propelled oil prices to their highest level in years, with Brent crude oil topping $120 in March, translating into a windfall for oil companies. Benoît Morenne, WSJ, 10 Sep. 2022 Despite hours of signals that their 17.3-mile oil pipeline may have been leaking, the companies continued to negligently pump crude oil into the waters off Huntington Beach, according to prosecutors. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022 In its August market report, OPEC cut its estimate of global demand for the cartel's crude oil by 300,000 barrels per day for 2022, and by the same amount for 2023. Julia Horowitz, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 Energy stocks were a bright spot, rising as the price of U.S. crude oil climbed 1%. CBS News, 2 Sep. 2022 Energy stocks fell as the price of U.S. crude oil, which is coming off its third month of declines, dropped 3.3% to $86.61 a barrel. Alex Veiga, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 Prices at the pump track underlying crude-oil prices, which have also retreated recently. Hardika Singh, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 Energy companies fell along with the price of crude oil. CBS News, 30 Aug. 2022 Jared Malsin, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 The companies have agreed to pay a $7.1-million criminal fine and reimburse federal agencies for an estimated $5.8 million spent responding to the spill, which sent 25,000 gallons of crude gushing into San Pedro Bay in early October. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 The break spewed more than 50,000 gallons of crude into the river and fouled the city of Glendive's drinking water supply. Julia Musto, Fox News, 13 Aug. 2022 The break spewed more than 50,000 gallons (240,000 liters) of crude into the river and fouled Glendive's drinking water supply. Matthew Brown, ajc, 12 Aug. 2022 The White House has been working to bring down oil prices after the U.S. and its allies sanctioned Russian oil, rolling out a plan to release more than 180 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2022 To this day, hundreds of barrels of crude remain caked in washes within the monument, according to Bureau of Land Management records. Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 21 July 2022 As a grade of crude, Urals is a mix of heavy oil from the Volga and Urals region and a lighter oil from Siberia. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 15 July 2022 In the meantime, expectations that the economy of China, the biggest importer of crude, would pick up have also been unfulfilled because of lockdowns in important cities in response to continuing surges of Covid-19. New York Times, 13 July 2022 See More
Adjective
In June, Russia became India’s second-largest crude oil supplier after Iraq. Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 12 Sep. 2022 The war propelled oil prices to their highest level in years, with Brent crude oil topping $120 in March, translating into a windfall for oil companies. Benoît Morenne, WSJ, 10 Sep. 2022 Despite hours of signals that their 17.3-mile oil pipeline may have been leaking, the companies continued to negligently pump crude oil into the waters off Huntington Beach, according to prosecutors. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022 In its August market report, OPEC cut its estimate of global demand for the cartel's crude oil by 300,000 barrels per day for 2022, and by the same amount for 2023. Julia Horowitz, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 Energy stocks were a bright spot, rising as the price of U.S. crude oil climbed 1%. CBS News, 2 Sep. 2022 Energy stocks fell as the price of U.S. crude oil, which is coming off its third month of declines, dropped 3.3% to $86.61 a barrel. Alex Veiga, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 Prices at the pump track underlying crude-oil prices, which have also retreated recently. Hardika Singh, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 Energy companies fell along with the price of crude oil. CBS News, 30 Aug. 2022 Noun
Russia, meanwhile, has already reoriented much of its sales of crude to China, India and Turkey. Jared Malsin, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 The companies have agreed to pay a $7.1-million criminal fine and reimburse federal agencies for an estimated $5.8 million spent responding to the spill, which sent 25,000 gallons of crude gushing into San Pedro Bay in early October. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 The break spewed more than 50,000 gallons of crude into the river and fouled the city of Glendive's drinking water supply. Julia Musto, Fox News, 13 Aug. 2022 The break spewed more than 50,000 gallons (240,000 liters) of crude into the river and fouled Glendive's drinking water supply. Matthew Brown, ajc, 12 Aug. 2022 The White House has been working to bring down oil prices after the U.S. and its allies sanctioned Russian oil, rolling out a plan to release more than 180 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2022 To this day, hundreds of barrels of crude remain caked in washes within the monument, according to Bureau of Land Management records. Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 21 July 2022 As a grade of crude, Urals is a mix of heavy oil from the Volga and Urals region and a lighter oil from Siberia. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 15 July 2022 In the meantime, expectations that the economy of China, the biggest importer of crude, would pick up have also been unfulfilled because of lockdowns in important cities in response to continuing surges of Covid-19. New York Times, 13 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from Latin crudus raw, crude, undigested — more at raw
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun
circa 1904, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing crude
Kids Definition
crude
adjective
ˈkrüd
cruder; crudest
1
: in a natural state and not changed by special treatment : raw
crude oil
crude sugar
2
: planned or done in a rough or unskilled way
a crude drawing
3
: not having or showing good manners : vulgar
crude language
crude
adjective
1
as in raw
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining a sizable spill of crude oil along a coastline is the worst kind of environmental disaster Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- raw
- natural
- native
- unrefined
- unprocessed
- rude
- untreated
- undeveloped
- undressed
- unpolished
- unfinished
- in the rough
- in the raw
- impure
- semifinished
- uncooked
- unfiltered
- rough-hewn
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- refined
- pure
- treated
- processed
- dressed
- purified
- filtered
2
as in primitive
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development the crude stone tools that those prehistoric peoples used Synonyms & Similar Words
- primitive
- rudimentary
- simple
- basic
- low
- rude
- ancient
- old
- obsolete
- antiquated
- unsophisticated
- early
- homely
- homespun
- uncomplicated
- antique
- undeveloped
- underdeveloped
- primordial
- primeval
- embryonic
- backward
- dated
- quaint
- past
- antediluvian
- fusty
- aged
- hoary
- old-fashioned
- outworn
- out-of-date
- musty
- passé
- unmodernized
- old-time
- oldfangled
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- higher
- advanced
- high
- sophisticated
- complex
- evolved
- late
- complicated
- developed
- intricate
- mature
- refined
- ripe
- involved
- modern
- civilized
- grown
- perfected
- matured
- ripened
- new
- enlightened
- current
- contemporary
- cultivated
- modernistic
- latest
- newfangled
- ultramodern
- novel
- full-blown
- now
- mod
- supermodern
- new-fashioned
- space-age
- state-of-the-art
- present-day
- up-to-date
3
as in vulgar
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society crude jokes can be considered sexual harassment Synonyms & Similar Words
- vulgar
- obscene
- pornographic
- nasty
- foul
- dirty
- gross
- filthy
- suggestive
- offensive
- coarse
- lewd
- raunchy
- unacceptable
- bawdy
- indecent
- profane
- ribald
- impure
- naughty
- disgusting
- obnoxious
- lascivious
- blue
- smutty
- unpleasant
- trashy
- abusive
- unprintable
- gutter
- undesirable
- unwanted
- wanton
- broad
- stag
- porny
- infamous
- X-rated
- risqué
- perverted
- scatological
- wicked
- salacious
- indecorous
- indelicate
- soft
- locker-room
- low
- objectionable
- depraved
- repulsive
- earthy
- off
- racy
- salty
- immodest
- perverse
- revolting
- loathsome
- unbecoming
- gamy
- repugnant
- barnyard
- off-color
- off-colored
- abhorrent
- distasteful
- unwelcome
- repellent
- kinky
- louche
- coarse-grained
- debasing
- scurrilous
- reprehensible
- exceptionable
- atrocious
- gamey
- censurable
- repellant
- blameworthy
- blamable
- soft-core
- hard-core
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clean
- wholesome
- decent
- puritanical
- prudish
- proper
- priggish
- correct
- polite
- innocuous
- staid
- genteel
- acceptable
- prim
- respectable
- decorous
- inoffensive
- nice
- straitlaced
- appropriate
- pure
- desirable
- seemly
- suitable
- nonobscene
- pleasant
- G-rated
- agreeable
- straightlaced
- pleasing
- welcome
- perfect
- becoming
- meet
- Victorian
- immaculate
- virginal
- fit
- spotless
- approved
- sanctioned
- endorsed
- indorsed
4
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste any discussion of one's money is considered crude by the club's blue-blooded members Synonyms & Similar Words
- crass
- vulgar
- rude
- coarse
- gross
- common
- unrefined
- rough
- clumsy
- uncouth
- unpolished
- tasteless
- lowbrow
- rugged
- uncultured
- low
- roughneck
- raffish
- uncultivated
- rough-hewn
- boorish
- insensible
- illiberal
- unsophisticated
- ill-bred
- clownish
- ungentlemanly
- rustic
- loutish
- cloddish
- incult
- thoughtless
- indelicate
- insensitive
- lowbred
- lumpish
- churlish
- oafish
- uncivilized
- inelegant
- barbaric
- lubberly
- barbarous
- tacky
- inconsiderate
- graceless
- provincial
- countrified
- unmannered
- rustical
- unmannerly
- mannerless
- animallike
- countryfied
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- refined
- smooth
- polished
- civilized
- tasteful
- cultured
- genteel
- cultivated
- elegant
- aristocratic
- graceful
- restrained
- sensitive
- sophisticated
- patrician
- courtly
- thoughtful
- well-bred
- ultrarefined
- gracious
- considerate
- urbane
- citified
5
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed a crude hut that was constructed by some shipwrecked sailors Synonyms & Similar Words
- clumsy
- rude
- rough
- primitive
- unrefined
- rudimentary
- flawed
- artless
- imperfect
- unfinished
- defective
- rough-and-ready
- rough-hewn
- jerry-built
- amateur
- jerry-rigged
- rough-and-tumble
- jury-rigged
- imprecise
- unpolished
- faulty
- inexact
- inartistic
- amateurish
- unskilled
- unprofessional
- unskillful
- undressed
- inexpert
- unshaped
- unworked
- unshapen
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- refined
- polished
- perfect
- meticulous
- sophisticated
- flawless
- skillful
- neat
- finished
- artistic
- faultless
- perfected
- adept
- adroit
- artful
- workmanlike
- masterful
- dexterous
- dextrous
- expert
- masterly
- practised
- precise
- practiced
- exact
- well-done
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of crude are raw, rough, and rude. While all these words mean "lacking in social refinement," crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive.
a crude joke
In some situations, the words raw and crude are roughly equivalent. However, raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished.
turning raw youths into polished performers
The words rough and crude can be used in similar contexts, but rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness.
rough manners
The synonyms rude and crude are sometimes interchangeable, but rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy.
rude behavior