raw
raw
Raw (adjective) means not cooked. Example: “The sushi is made with raw fish.”
adjective
1
Not cooked.
"The sushi is made with raw fish."
"Don't eat raw chicken — it needs to be cooked through."
"Wash your hands after touching raw meat in the kitchen."
2
Unprocessed or untreated; in its natural, original state.
"The factory imports raw cotton before spinning it into thread."
"The chocolate maker buys raw cocoa beans directly from farmers."
"Raw data from the survey must be cleaned before anyone can analyse it."
3
Sore and exposed, as skin that has been rubbed or scraped.
"Her heels were rubbed raw by the new shoes."
"His hands were red and raw after a day of digging."
"The baby's skin looked raw where the nappy had rubbed."
4
Inexperienced or untrained.
"The team is full of raw talent but needs coaching."
"The manager gave the raw recruits a week of basic training."
"He was a raw beginner, so we started with the simplest exercises."
5
Presented without polish, editing, or filtering — direct and unfiltered, especially of emotion.
"The memoir is raw and painfully honest about her grief."
"Her speech was raw, and the audience could feel her anger."
"The singer's raw performance left many people in tears."
How to use raw
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUncooked, unprocessed, or (figuratively) unpolished and exposed — whether skin, talent, or emotion.
Common pairings
raw fish
raw materials
raw talent
raw emotion
rubbed raw
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Word forms
- Plural
- raws
- Third person singular
- raws
- Past tense
- rawed
- Comparative
- rawer
- Superlative
- rawest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The sushi is made with _____ fish.
Etymology
From Old English hreaw, going back to a Proto-Indo-European root connected to raw meat and blood — the same root that gives Latin crudus, source of English "crude."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for raw
See all rhymes for raw →Frequently asked questions
What does “raw” mean?
The word “raw” means not cooked. In plain terms, uncooked, unprocessed, or (figuratively) unpolished and exposed — whether skin, talent, or emotion.
How do you pronounce “raw”?
“Raw” is pronounced raw (/ɹɔ/ in IPA).
How do you use “raw” in a sentence?
Here is “raw” used in a sentence: “The sushi is made with raw fish.”
What is another word for “raw”?
Words with a similar meaning to “raw” include coarse, crude, natural, pure, pristine and unalloyed.
What is the opposite of “raw”?
The opposite of “raw” — its antonyms — are contaminated, impure, manufactured, modified and processed.
What part of speech is “raw”?
“Raw” is an adjective.
Where does the word “raw” come from?
The word “raw” comes from Latin. From Old English hreaw, going back to a Proto-Indo-European root connected to raw meat and blood — the same root that gives Latin crudus, source of English "crude.".
Is “raw” a common word?
“Raw” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between raw and cooked food?
Raw food is served in its natural state, without heat, like sushi, salad or fresh fruit. Cooked food has been heated by boiling, baking, frying or roasting, which changes its texture, flavour and often its safety. Cooking can kill harmful bacteria, so some foods are safer cooked than raw.
What is an example of raw food?
Sushi and sashimi use raw fish, steak tartare uses raw beef, and a salad is made of raw vegetables. Fresh fruit, nuts and many vegetables are eaten raw by default. In each case the food is served uncooked, without any heat applied.
Is it safe to eat raw food?
Many foods are perfectly safe raw, such as most fruit, vegetables and salads. Others carry more risk: raw meat, poultry, eggs and some seafood can harbour bacteria that cooking would destroy. Freshness, hygiene and proper handling matter, and certain groups, like pregnant people, are usually advised to avoid high-risk raw foods.
What is the opposite of raw?
In the sense of food, the opposite of raw is cooked — heated by boiling, baking or frying until it changes texture and flavour. Related opposites include prepared, processed or refined, depending on context. When raw simply means uncooked, "cooked" is the clearest and most natural antonym.
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