grainy

Like rough sand

Grainy describes a texture of small particles or granules, like sand or coarse salt.

A grainy photograph or video has visible specks or pixels that reduce sharpness—sometimes an unwanted flaw, sometimes a deliberate aesthetic: The old footage had that grainy look.

Grainy can also describe food texture: The sauce turned out grainy instead of smooth.

texture

gritty

Coarse or courageous

coarseRough in texture
roughUneven in surface
sandpaperAbrasive-coated finishing material

abrasive · crumbly · pebbly · sandy · bumpy · uneven · scratchy · raspy · nubby · textured

digital

pixelated

Composed of visible squares

low-resPoor image quality
blockyResembling stacked cubes
artifactHuman-made historical object

compression · blurry · bitmap · raster · noise · dithering · aliasing · jagged · distorted · resolution

photography

film

Movie or coating

noiseUnwanted auditory disturbance
blurLack of sharpness
fuzzySoft and unclear

out-of-focus · vintage · analog · iso · darkroom · exposure · snapshot · develop · negative · enlargement

wholegrains

wholegrain

Using entire seed

branCereal grain husk
wheatCereal crop for flour
oatsCereal grain for porridge

rye · barley · millet · quinoa · buckwheat · spelt · farro · bulgur · teff · sorghum

wood

oak

Quercus genus member

mahoganyReddish-brown tropical lumber
walnutEdible hard-shelled seed
ashCombustion's powdery remains

birch · teak · woodgrain · veneer · plywood · knotty · figured · quartersawn · heartwood · sapwood

grainy

gritty

pixelated

film

wholegrain

oak

grainy

Opposites

Phrases

Categories

Family