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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

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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 Anti-Tesla sentiment is at an all-time high, whether expressed through rude bumper stickers and peaceful protest or vandalism and arson, in part because Musk has continually stoked tension with his far-right politics. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025 At the time, Pearce called out a rude fan while performing at WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025 He’s easily distracted by sounds or activity, often needs questions repeated and uses abrupt matter-of-fact phrases that could be considered rude, the filings said. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 5 Mar. 2025 Yet when the only three likable characters here manage to survive that onslaught, there’s a sweetness to the fadeout that reveals surprising charm beneath the film’s vigorously rude surface. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rude
Adjective
  • Kisses her mouth, but the gesture is awkward, clumsy; their teeth strike together, and Brianna winces.
    Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
  • As well as making a star of Alicia Silverstone, the original movie showcased the talents of Paul Rudd who played her stepbrother Josh (and went onto become Phoebe’s partner in Friends and take on the role of Ant Man) and the late Brittany Murphy, who played Cher’s clumsy friend Tai.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 15 Mar. 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
  • Some segments of the Democratic coalition would find Piker to be edgy, or crass, or even despicable.
    Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
  • That’s a straightforward, even sympathetic premise with a crass edge to boot.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Based on the best-selling comic book series, the fantasy follows barbarian huntress Red Sonja, who must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against the evil tyrant Emperor Draygan and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2025
  • So, some earlier, some later, but right around the time that the Greeks were talking about these people and excited about their barbarian lifestyle, archaeologists were finding the graves of these people.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2015
Adjective
  • Another director might have shied away from such minutiae or worse, be completely ignorant of them.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Consider that Mahmoud Khalil, an anti-war protester and recent graduate of Columbia University, was arrested on a Saturday night by ICE agents who appeared ignorant of his status as a legal U.S. resident and his rights thereof.
    Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Suncor operates the only refinery in Colorado, processing about 98,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
    Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The measures included a ban on seaborne Russian crude oil exports and a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The Chicago Bulls have been stepping up lately after a rough start following the Zach LaVine trade.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Combat is fun enough – melee combat is rough but serviceable, and the gunplay is decent – and the world is filled with things to do, places to go, and people to meet (and ultimately kill).
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Chase scenes are easily tracked over rich urban terrain, and shootouts tend to play out in clear, rudimentary compositions.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
  • But those rudimentary models based on pre-defined rulesets are rapidly becoming obsolete compared to the current capabilities of AI.
    Sailesh Sewpaul, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rude. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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