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Synonyms

raw material

American  

noun

  1. material before being processed or manufactured into a final form.


raw material British  

noun

  1. material on which a particular manufacturing process is carried out

  2. a person or thing regarded as suitable for some particular purpose

    raw material for the army

"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

Etymology

Origin of raw material

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On Tuesday, Israel's state comptroller released a scathing report accusing successive governments of neglecting domestic weapons production and failing to maintain critical raw material reserves.

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

However, Repsol said it booked a 361 million-euro impairment in its chemicals unit as rising prices for raw material like naphtha and propane as well as supply constraints have further compressed margins.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

It helps, I’ve found, to think about it less as “leftovers” and more as raw material.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

Another social media user has reported that the textile company where their sister-in-law worked has fired 600 out of their 650 personnel, as they cannot import raw material from Australia anymore.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

News was the intellectual raw material of the struggle.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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