unrefined

adjective

un·​re·​fined ˌən-ri-ˈfīnd How to pronounce unrefined (audio)
Synonyms of unrefinednext
: not refined: such as
a
: lacking moral or social cultivation : coarse, uncouth
unrefined tastes and manners
b
: not separated from dross, impurity, or unwanted matter
unrefined oil/ore

Synonyms of unrefined

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Examples of unrefined in a Sentence

unrefined sugar an unrefined mountaineer's hut guilty of such unrefined behavior as eating with their mouths open
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nutritionists generally note that the amount of trace minerals consumed in a pinch of any salt is small, so unrefined salts should not be viewed as a substitute for a mineral-rich diet. — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026 Such tools helped the New York Yankees make stars out of two unrefined college players, right-hander Cam Schlittler, a seventh-rounder out of Northeastern, and first baseman Ben Rice, a 12th-rounder out of Dartmouth. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 24 June 2026 Lucas Blalock likewise finds tragicomic potential in photography itself, inverting Photoshop as a mere tool of postproduction to foreground it as generative and creative, leaving visible traces of labor in ugly edits and unrefined refinements. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 The unrefined nature keeps some ideas from feeling fleshed out, but Veeze’s personality and precise execution smooth over the rough edges. — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unrefined

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unrefined was in 1582

Rhymes for unrefined

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Browse Nearby Words

unreeve
unrefined
unreflected
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Cite this Entry

“Unrefined.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unrefined. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unrefined

Nglish: Translation of unrefined for Spanish Speakers

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