variants
also brusk
as in abrupt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner
a brusque and unhelpful reply from the clerk in the hardware store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brusque
Mitchell was forthright, brusque, keen to make his mark.
—
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 30 June 2025
Going from Pitch Stop to Drama Room meant a brusque shift, with all four projects grappling with questions either directly tied to or adjacent to modern masculinity.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 June 2025
That voice — brusque, solidly accented, cured in cigarette smoke, marinated in Jack Daniels — comes to me all the time.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025
Some have attributed this to his brusque, sometimes confrontational demeanor, others to classist prejudice.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for brusque
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 30 June 2025
Going from Pitch Stop to Drama Room meant a brusque shift, with all four projects grappling with questions either directly tied to or adjacent to modern masculinity.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 June 2025
That voice — brusque, solidly accented, cured in cigarette smoke, marinated in Jack Daniels — comes to me all the time.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025
Some have attributed this to his brusque, sometimes confrontational demeanor, others to classist prejudice.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for brusque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brusque
Adjective
-
Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Her attendance had been uncertain following her abrupt withdrawal from the funeral of the Duchess of Kent on Tuesday due to acute sinusitis.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These and a few other basic elements recur throughout Martinů’s œuvre: curt themes, darting rhythms, tangy harmonies, glittering textures.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The pillow talk on Man’s Best Friend often takes the curt, assertive tone of a person reproaching a precocious pet.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Maron, who’s become an increasingly vocal critic of comedians who inadvertently, or outwardly, cater to the right, shared a particularly blunt video on TikTok that was at once a dire warning and a call to action.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Manchin’s media appearances to promote his book have already made headlines with quintessential blunt talk about his snub of former Vice President Kamala Harris and willingness to torch his old party.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These particular coffee-shop customers picked the wrong day to be rude, though.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the Lions give a rude welcome back to Ben Johnson, while the 49ers run over the Saints.—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The barbs were frequently aimed at the gruff owner of Mel’s Diner played by the late Vic Tayback.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The conglomerate, which often aligns itself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development goals and controls vast swathes of India’s infrastructure sector, is yet to fully recover from the market value erosion caused by the short seller’s accusations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
-
In short, this is a definitive shmup and comes highly recommended.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
With the unlikely help of the snippy Teng (Andy Yu), Morrow learns that Petrovich was sneaking out of his cryo-pod to conspire with Kavalier.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
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The organization sifts through reports of rudeness, terse emails, and snippy interactions, and finds reduced productivity and absenteeism costing companies’ bottom line.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Whether this is a suspension that sees Kimmel back on late-night eventually for ABC, or if this is the unceremonious end of Jimmy Kimmel Live‘s 22-year run still remains to be seen.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Lecornu, who was only appointed as France’s new prime minister on Tuesday after the unceremonious ousting of PM Francois Bayrou at the start of the week, faces an immediate challenge as a mass public protest is unfolding Wednesday.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brusque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brusque. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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