coarsened

Grew less refined

Coarsened is the past tense of coarsen, meaning to make or become rougher, cruder, or less refined.

Skin coarsens from exposure to sun and wind.

Sensibilities coarsen through repeated exposure to violence: Years of combat had coarsened him.

Public discourse coarsens when civility gives way to insult.

The word implies degradation from a finer previous state.

character

hardened

Made tough or unfeeling

callousedThickened from wear
desensitizedMade unresponsive through overexposure
brutalizedHarshly abused or attacked

degraded · vulgarized · debased · corrupted · cheapened · jaded · embittered · cynical · insensitive · unfeeling

texture

roughened

Made less smooth

grainyRough with particles
roughUneven in surface
unevenNot smooth or balanced

bumpy · gritty · pitted · scabrous · sandpapery · abraded · weathered · calloused · leathery · bristly

abrasive

sanded

Smoothed with grit

groundSolid surface underfoot
filedOrganized for retrieval
raspedSpoke in grating voice

scoured · buffed · sandblasted · exfoliated · worn · eroded · scraped · polished · rubbed · smoothed

voice

hoarse

Rough in voice

raspyRough and grating
gruffHarsh in manner
huskyRough-voiced or stocky

gravelly · rough · harsh · guttural · throaty · scratchy · croaky · strained · roughened · weathered

Opposites

texture/physical quality

coarsenedsoftened

Made less severe

smoothed · refined · polished · gentled · silkened

refinement/sophistication

coarsenedrefined

Purified or cultured

polished · cultivated · elevated · gentled · sophisticated

sensitivity/feeling

coarsenedsensitized

Made responsive to stimuli

softened · gentled · humanized · attuned · awakened

Family

coarseness, coarsen, coarsening, coarsens

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G