raw

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Not cooked, so that it is eaten or used in its natural state.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun or after be: raw fish, the meat is raw.

   Patterns

   • eat something raw
   • raw vegetables

   Carrots taste sweeter when you eat them raw.

   The sushi is made with raw fish.

   Do not use the same knife for raw chicken and vegetables.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   In its natural state and not yet treated, refined or made into a finished product.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: raw materials, raw data.

   Patterns

   • raw material
   • raw data

   The factory imports raw cotton from overseas.

   Analysts began working with the raw data before making charts.

   Raw sewage must not be released into rivers.

3. 3adjectivecomparable

   Expressing real feeling honestly and strongly, without polish or holding back.

   Grammar: Describes feelings or performances: raw emotion, a raw voice.

   Patterns

   • raw emotion
   • a raw performance

   Her raw grief was painful to watch.

   The singer's raw voice gave the song power.

   He gave a raw, honest account of the war.

4. 4adjectivecomparable

   Sore, red and painful because the skin has been rubbed or wounded.

   Grammar: Describes skin or a body part: raw skin.

   Patterns

   • rub something raw
   • raw skin

   Her heels were raw after the long hike in new boots.

   The cold wind left his cheeks raw.

   The wound looked red and raw.

5. 5adjectivecomparable

   Cold, damp and unpleasant, as weather.

   Grammar: Describes weather: a raw wind.

   Patterns

   • a raw day

   It was a raw November morning, with a freezing wind off the sea.

   We walked home through the raw evening air.

Word forms

Common combinations

raw materials

The company buys raw materials from local suppliers.

raw data

The raw data had to be cleaned before analysis.

raw emotion

The film is full of raw emotion.

raw talent

The young player has plenty of raw talent.

in the raw

The pottery shows nature in the raw.

a raw deal

Workers felt they had been given a raw deal.

Synonyms and how they differ

uncooked

Uncooked is plain and only refers to food, whereas raw can also mean natural or unrefined.

crude

Crude describes something unprocessed or rough, and it can sound negative, as in crude oil or crude behavior.

unrefined

Unrefined is mainly about materials such as sugar or oil, and it is less common for feelings.

honest

Honest means truthful in general, while raw adds a sense of unpolished strong feeling.

Opposites

Word family

rawness noun

the quality of being raw

rawly adverb

in a raw way

rawhide noun

untanned animal skin

raw-boned adjective

thin and bony

Commonly confused: raw or row?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “raw”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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