coarse
composed of relatively large parts or particles: The beach had rough, coarse sand.
lacking in fineness or delicacy of texture, structure, etc.: The stiff, coarse fabric irritated her skin.
harsh; grating.
lacking delicacy, taste, or refinement; unpolished: He had coarse manners but an absolutely first-rate mind.
of inferior or faulty quality; common; base.
vulgar; obscene; crude: His coarse language angered us.
(of metals) unrefined.
(of a metal file) having the maximum commercial grade of coarseness.
Origin of coarse
1Other words for coarse
Opposites for coarse
Other words from coarse
- coarsely, adverb
- coarseness, noun
- un·coarse, adjective
- un·coarse·ly, adverb
- un·coarse·ness, noun
Words that may be confused with coarse
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use coarse in a sentence
Put the rice cereal in a resealable plastic bag, squeeze out excess air and, using a rolling pin or mallet, crush until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Pop open a box of cereal for a crunchy twist on baked chicken tenders | Ellie Krieger | February 18, 2021 | Washington PostA full head of coarse strands can take over an hour to dry, and we’re betting that doesn’t sound ideal for your regular routine.
The best hair dryer: Get a salon-worthy blowout at home | Carsen Joenk | January 22, 2021 | Popular-ScienceA team including Grover, Etienne and another college student, Tarana Laroia, measured how much coarse, curly hair might interfere with measuring brain signals.
Brainwaves of people with coarse, curly hair are now less hard to read | Laura Sanders | May 5, 2020 | Science News For Students
British Dictionary definitions for coarse
/ (kɔːs) /
rough in texture, structure, etc; not fine: coarse sand
lacking refinement or taste; indelicate; vulgar: coarse jokes
of inferior quality; not pure or choice
(of a metal) not refined
(of a screw) having widely spaced threads
Origin of coarse
1Derived forms of coarse
- coarsely, adverb
- coarseness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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