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Definition of grossnext
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gross

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noun

gross

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word gross different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gross are coarse, obscene, ribald, and vulgar. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

When can coarse be used instead of gross?

The synonyms coarse and gross are sometimes interchangeable, but coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

Where would obscene be a reasonable alternative to gross?

Although the words obscene and gross have much in common, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

When could ribald be used to replace gross?

The meanings of ribald and gross largely overlap; however, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

When is it sensible to use vulgar instead of gross?

While in some cases nearly identical to gross, vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

How is the word gross different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gross are coarse, obscene, ribald, and vulgar. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

When can coarse be used instead of gross?

The synonyms coarse and gross are sometimes interchangeable, but coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

Where would obscene be a reasonable alternative to gross?

Although the words obscene and gross have much in common, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

When could ribald be used to replace gross?

The meanings of ribald and gross largely overlap; however, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

When is it sensible to use vulgar instead of gross?

While in some cases nearly identical to gross, vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

How is the word gross different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gross are coarse, obscene, ribald, and vulgar. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

When can coarse be used instead of gross?

The synonyms coarse and gross are sometimes interchangeable, but coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

Where would obscene be a reasonable alternative to gross?

Although the words obscene and gross have much in common, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

When could ribald be used to replace gross?

The meanings of ribald and gross largely overlap; however, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

When is it sensible to use vulgar instead of gross?

While in some cases nearly identical to gross, vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

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 gross
Adjective
Total gross proceeds to Prosus are approximately 270 million euros ($318 million), the company said. Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026 In order to identify cities where rent is most affordable, the personal finance company collected the median annual gross rent across 182 cities, according to a report released April 15, and then compared it with the median household income in each area. Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
The median horror gross this quarter was around $7 million — meaning most of these movies barely registered with consumers despite a wide theatrical release. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 1 Apr. 2026 Hollywood has been ringing the alarm bell on the health of movie theaters since the pandemic, as the industry has yet to climb back to the pre-COVID peak of an $11 billion annual domestic box office gross. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
And, as of Tuesday (Feb. 17), the film has grossed $38 million domestically and $22.8 million internationally for a worldwide tally of $60.8 million. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026 The descriptions of dead bodies on the true crime podcasts gross me out, but to see it in person is something else entirely. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gross
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gross
Adjective
  • The incident was captured on the broadcast, and after the game, Duran explained that his obscene gesture was in response to a fan crossing the line.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The most common crime investigated by the unit was the distribution of obscene material depicting minors, followed by elder abuse and rape.
    Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The amount of sugar is scaled back, but there's plenty of sweetness from plump raisins and a dusting of powdered sugar.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
  • These plump fine lines, increase collagen production, prevent and improve loss of firmness, hydrate, and help with moisture retention.
    Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Right now in America, when our discourse has gotten so crass and mean-spirited that to show the underlying kindness of this show is really resonating.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The beloved slapstick comedy is 85 minutes of pure entertainment, full of increasingly chaotic adventures and shockingly crass jokes that still produce guffaws decades later.
    Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Of course, Butcher does a lot of blatant manipulating here, using Ryan’s insecurity about his deadly powers to convince him the world is better without supes altogether.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
  • These complaints demonstrate a clear and consistent pattern of obfuscation and blatant disregard of campaign finance laws.
    John Gates, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This was in itself disgusting but also came to represent the city’s problems.
    Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Living under an openly misogynistic president may have felt freakish in 2017, but by his second term, bigotry became yet another disgusting norm.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The 2026 games will host a total of 104 matches, 40 more than the previous edition in Qatar when 32 teams competed.
    Vivian Song, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Those costs were part of a $512 million total bond issuance on which taxpayers will pay a total of $140 million in interest over the next seven years.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Sports franchises also care a great deal about cultivating and retaining repeat fans, particularly season-ticket holders, who provide a steady source of revenue.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The lack of disclosure comes as other states record mounting losses in tax revenue to data center subsidies.
    Kevin Hardy, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • That deal also netted a fifth-round pick, a sixth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick.
    Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
  • In Ohio, where the state legislature was forced to redraw the state's congressional map for separate reasons, Republicans and Democrats made a compromise where the GOP netted 2 favorable seats while not pushing through a redraw more detrimental to Democrats.
    Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gross.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/gross. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

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