coarsen: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary, Technical (e.g., materials science)
Quick answer
What does “coarsen” mean?
To make or become rough or harsh in texture, quality, or manner.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make or become rough or harsh in texture, quality, or manner.
To make something less refined, subtle, or polite; to degrade in quality or character.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. Usage is slightly more literary in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally negative in both varieties, implying decline or deterioration.
Frequency
Low-frequency word in both AmE and BrE, with similar usage levels.
Grammar
How to Use “coarsen” in a Sentence
[NP] coarsens[NP] coarsens [NP][NP] is coarsened by [NP]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coarsen” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The cheap detergent will coarsen the linen.
- Political discourse has coarsened considerably in recent years.
American English
- The sandstone coarsened as we moved up the geological layer.
- His jokes coarsened as the night went on.
adverb
British English
- [N/A - 'coarsely' is the adverb form]
American English
- [N/A - 'coarsely' is the adverb form]
adjective
British English
- [N/A - 'coarse' is the adjective form]
American English
- [N/A - 'coarse' is the adjective form]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. 'The company's culture coarsened under the new management.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, sociology, materials science. 'Industrialisation coarsened the social fabric.'
Everyday
Low frequency. 'Years of manual labour had coarsened his hands.'
Technical
In materials/metallurgy: 'The heat treatment caused the grain structure to coarsen.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coarsen”
- Incorrect: *'He coarsened his voice to sound angry.' (Prefer: 'He made his voice coarse...')
- Overuse in everyday contexts where 'become rough' or 'get worse' is more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, more formal or literary word. In everyday speech, phrases like 'become rough' or 'get worse' are more common.
Extremely rarely. It almost always describes a negative change or deterioration in quality, refinement, or texture.
'Coarsening' is the gerund/noun (e.g., 'the coarsening of political debate'). The related noun for the state is 'coarseness'.
They are often synonymous for physical texture. However, 'coarsen' is preferred for abstract declines in quality or behaviour (e.g., coarsen debate, manners), while 'roughen' is mostly physical.
To make or become rough or harsh in texture, quality, or manner.
Coarsen is usually formal, literary, technical (e.g., materials science) in register.
Coarsen: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɔː.sən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːr.sən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none directly associated]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A COARSE (rough) thing is made - 'coarsEN'. Add '-EN' to the adjective.
Conceptual Metaphor
REFINEMENT IS SMOOTHNESS / DEGRADATION IS ROUGHENING
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'coarsen' used MOST appropriately?