GRAINY Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

grainy

adjective

ˈgrā-nē

Definition of grainy

as in coarse

made up of large particles grainy sand kept it off the rankings as one of the nation's best beaches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of grainy As black holes, the little red dots would appear red because dust — grainy stuff much more complicated than gas — was blocking their blue light. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026 The look is crisp, angular, and metallic, with lots of straight lines and slender silhouettes, and sits in pleasing contrast alongside luscious velvet and scratchy linen, rough stone, warm terracotta, or grainy timber. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026 In Barbara Forever, an exquisite new documentary by Brydie O’Connor, there’s even old, grainy footage of Hammer essentially saying as much before a screening of her films. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 On sunny days these stones appear dried out, white and grainy, while the thin trickle of water passing through makes up a mere fraction of the river’s width. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grainy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grainy

Adjective

Biting lines such as these come frequently from Diplo, who has little in the way of a filter and a coarse sense of humor, especially on social media.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
In a mortar and pestle, crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns until cracked but still coarse.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of coarse

Adjective

The tiny Norwegian archipelago, 68 degrees north of the Arctic Circle and two flights from Oslo, is a distinctive and dramatic landscape with spiky mountains rising from the Norwegian Sea and sandy beaches fringed by fjords.

— Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
Hannah Damon, director of outreach and administration at Camp Amnicon Adventures and Retreats in South Range, Wisconsin, made the discovery while spending time with her son along the camp's sandy shoreline.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of sandy

Adjective

This view is shared by several other exchange operators, which oppose the CFTC’s creation of granular rules meant to obstruct affiliates.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026
The one downside to writing ballot questions in the easiest-to-understand language possible, is that many of the granular details will be cut.

— The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of granular

Browse Nearby Words

grains

grainy

grammar

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Grainy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grainy. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of grainy

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes