raw

Formsrawer, rawest

Pluralraws (some meanings)

Formsraws, rawing, rawed

1. 1
   adjective

   Not cooked. Also used about a diet of only uncooked food.

   Like an egg before it ever touches the hot pan.

   We ate the carrots raw instead of cooking them.

   Raw chicken can make you sick, so cook it well.

   UsageOften eat something raw.

   Similaruncooked

   Oppositecooked

2. 2
   natural (materials)adjective

   Still natural, not yet treated or changed.

   Like fruit picked from a tree before anyone turns it into juice.

   The factory turns raw cotton into soft cloth.

   We buy raw honey straight from the beekeeper.

   UsageOften raw materials.

   Similarunrefined, unprocessed, untreated, crude, natural

   Oppositerefined, processed, finished

   Note
3. 3
   not yet editedadjective

   Not yet checked or worked on, just as it was first collected.

   Like vegetables straight from the garden, before washing or cutting.

   The raw numbers need checking before we can trust them.

   She handed in the raw results without analyzing them first.

   UsageOften raw data.

   Similarunprocessed, unanalyzed, uncorrected

   Oppositeprocessed

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Rough and simple, not smooth or carefully finished.

   Like a rough first sketch before someone cleans up the lines.

   The film has a raw style that feels rough but honest.

   His early songs were raw, with simple chords and no polish.

   Similarrough, crude, unpolished, unrefined

   Oppositepolished, refined, sophisticated

5. 5
   adjective

   Shown openly and strongly, with no attempt to hide the feeling.

   Like a cry that comes straight from the heart, with nothing held back.

   There was raw anger in his voice when he spoke.

   She felt raw grief in the days after the loss.

   UsageOften raw emotion.

   Similarnaked, intense, undisguised, unrestrained

   Oppositerestrained, guarded

6. 6
   rubbed soreadjective

   Sore and tender, often because the skin has been rubbed or scraped.

   Like the sore skin you get after rubbing one spot too hard.

   Her hands were raw from washing dishes all day.

   The new shoes left his heels red and raw.

   UsageOften rubbed raw.

   Similarsore, tender

7. 7
   brutally honestadjective

   Showing hard or ugly truths in an honest, direct way.

   Like a photo that shows everything, with nothing hidden or touched up.

   The book gives a raw look at life on the streets.

   Her diary is a raw account of her long illness.

   Similarfrank, candid, unflinching, brutal, blunt

   Oppositesanitized

8. 8
   not yet trainedadjective

   New to something and not yet skilled or trained.

   Like a brand-new player who has never been on the field.

   The team was full of raw players who had never competed before.

   As a raw beginner, she made many small mistakes.

   UsageOften raw recruits.

   Similarinexperienced, green, untrained, new, fresh

   Oppositeexperienced, seasoned

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