1
2
3
4
5
6
7
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining rude pelts that were sent to Europe to be fashioned into elegant hats and coats

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Try This Instead

For
Try This
rude people
impolite people
bad-mannered people
nasty people
unkind people
a rude gesture
an impolite gesture
an offensive gesture
a vulgar gesture
a nasty gesture
a gross gesture
rude behavior
impolite behavior
disrespectful behavior
nasty behavior
unpleasant behavior
poor behavior
rude treatment
inconsiderate treatment
disrespectful treatment
ungracious treatment
discourteous treatment
impolite treatment

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective rude differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rude are crude, raw, and rough. While all these words mean "lacking in social refinement," rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy.

rude behavior

Where would crude be a reasonable alternative to rude?

The words crude and rude are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive.

a crude joke

When would raw be a good substitute for rude?

In some situations, the words raw and rude are roughly equivalent. However, raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished.

turning raw youths into polished performers

When is rough a more appropriate choice than rude?

The synonyms rough and rude are sometimes interchangeable, but rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness.

rough manners

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 rude As the last remaining position player from the Houston Astros’ trash-can-banging, and (in the eyes of most Dodgers fans) World Series-stealing 2017 championship team, Jose Altuve always receives a rude welcome from the fans at Chavez Ravine. Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025 At the expense of sounding rude, there wasn’t even a remote attraction to him. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 2 July 2025 Nearly one in four Gen Z professionals viewed the thumbs-up as rude or hostile. Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025 This strikes me as rude and short-sighted (no pun intended). R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rude
Adjective
  • And Hank’s own clumsy attempts at hypermasculine child-rearing often come from his father, Cotton (Toby Huss).
    Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025
  • Gone are are the days of clumsy imagery and texts and fake sign-in pages that can be detected in an instant.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Adjective
  • Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.
    Joseph J. Kolb, Fox News, 18 July 2017
  • Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.
    OregonLive.com, OregonLive.com, 12 July 2017
Adjective
  • Brandi Glanville & Lisa Vanderpump (RHOBH) Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Kelsey McNeal/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Lisa and Brandi were an odd fit from the start: Brandi, the crass newbie; Lisa Vanderpump, the grande dame of Beverly Hills.
    Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 11 June 2025
  • Most Popular Most Popular Asking Eric: The parents refuse to cut their trip short despite their teen’s crisis Asking Eric: The parents refuse to cut their trip short despite their teen's crisis Dear Abby: Is there a way to tell the crass shirttail relations that they’re not invited?
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
Adjective
  • The economy will not thrive on backward, barbarian technologies and our babies will suffer from the burden of debt, bad air and blackouts.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
  • Built on the site of an ancient Roman fortress that protected the empire from barbarian invasion, the castle was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Consequently, many of those enslaved in Texas remained ignorant of the proclamation’s potential impact on their lives, or of the fact the Civil War had functionally ended two months earlier.
    Timothy Welbeck, The Conversation, 16 June 2025
  • Careless or ignorant reporting has obscured objective reality.
    Nicholas DiMarzio, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Montana Department of Labor & Industry reported that its top three imports from Canada in 2021 were crude oil, platinum waste and scrap, and conifer wood.
    Jenna Sundel Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • The Fort Worth water department is using the Village Creek Drying Beds as part of an emergency response to a spill of 2,600 barrels of crude oil near Lake Arlington in early May.
    Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • In 2015, he was again alleged to be discourteous.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
  • In 2014, he was found to have been discourteous and used force.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Most young kids who are just getting used to their animal friends tend to be a little rough with them at first.
    Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 9 July 2025
  • His second and third seasons were especially rough.
    Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 8 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rude. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rude

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!