WordGarden.iocoarsely
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˈɔːsli/
US
Meanings
Adverb
with a rough texture or in large, uneven pieces
in a broad or approximate way, without fine detail
in a rude, crude, or vulgar manner
Beyond the definition
Imagine crumbling cookies for a pie topping—if you do it coarsely, you don't pulverize them into dust! You leave bigger, chunkier pieces. "Coarsely" describes something done in a rough, unrefined way, lacking delicacy or smoothness. It can apply to how things are ground, chopped, or even how someone behaves. A chef might use coarsely ground pepper to add a specific crunch to a dish, instead of a fine, powdery grind. Similarly, someone might describe a person as coarsely insensitive in their comments if they lack tact and disregard the feelings of others.
"Coarsely" is an adverb that tells us how something is done—specifically, in a rough, crude, or unrefined manner. Think of texture: sand can be fine, but it can also be coarsely grained, meaning the particles are large and noticeable. This idea extends far beyond physical materials.
You will often hear of "coarsely chopped vegetables," describing ingredients that haven't been diced into tiny, uniform pieces, or a piece of wood that has been coarsely sawn, indicating a jagged, unfinished cut. But it isn't limited to manual labor or cooking! If we say someone "spoke coarsely," we usually don't mean their voice was physically raspy; rather, it means they spoke rudely, bluntly, or used vulgar language without finesse.
The word implies a lack of subtlety or polish. A joke told coarsely might be funny to some, but it likely lacks cleverness or sophisticated wit. An argument conducted coarsely is often loud, blunt, and unpleasant. It's a word used when an action could have been performed with more care, skill, or sensitivity. While not always intended as a harsh insult, calling something coarsely done suggests it is rough around the edges—lacking the refinement that comes with detail and grace.
Examples
- 1
Food prep
Chop the parsley coarsely and add it at the end.
- 2
Rough fabric
The blanket was woven coarsely, so it felt rough against the skin.
- 3
Data grouping
The data was grouped too coarsely to show differences between age groups.
- 4
Rude speech
He spoke coarsely to the receptionist when she asked him to wait.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- coarselyadverb