1
as in peasant
an awkward or simple person especially from a small town or the country
as far as he was concerned, anyone from outside the city was a backwater churl
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in miser
a mean grasping person who is usually stingy with money
don't bother asking for donations at that house—the churl who lives there believes that charity begins and ends at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
a churl who gets thrown out of parties with remarkable regularity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of churl
But the cartoonish executive in Episode 1 will require a Grinch-like turnaround to become anything but a clownish churl.
—
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2022
The churl’s view.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 July 2021
Only a churl would lament the existence of these testaments to the out-of-nowhere potential of a great pop hit.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2021
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2022
The churl’s view.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 July 2021
Only a churl would lament the existence of these testaments to the out-of-nowhere potential of a great pop hit.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churl
Noun
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These chapters reinforce the insight of the old peasant, that the meaning of things is in the living of our lives day by day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
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Peasant Blouses Perhaps the easy way to get in on the Wuthering Heights hype is with a breezy, ethereal peasant blouse.—
Eva Thomas,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The more frugal sides are decried as misers or praised for their market savvy, no matter the surrounding factors.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Rather than just a simple miser, this movie portrays Scrooge as more of a ruthless businessman who believes he’s justified in his actions, making the character more relatable and redemptive.—
Janey Tracey,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Which is to say, this isn’t the story of a greedy, materialistic man who suffers a crisis of conscience while trying to pry a priceless treasure away from an uneducated hick who doesn’t know any better.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ricky develops romantic feelings for Chad even though Russ plays him as a soft-spoken, possibly dim rural hick who may well be a literal man-child.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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My Jamaican Table, his first book (Springsteen wrote the foreword), is a mouth-watering mix of traditional classic dishes like oxtail with rice and peas, and curry chicken alongside modern spins on American classics, like his signature jerk smashburger with bacon jam.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
16 Mar. 2026
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So, yeah, of course this person is (probably) being a real jerk about things.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Christopher Kosakowski, United States, 2025 A circus clown celebrating his birthday alone receives a mysterious gift box harboring an antique zoetrope that spins his world into mayhem.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
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The same clown who is owned by Vladimir Putin.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Aside from butler services, valet parking, and dog and babysitting, the hotel offers an Experience Manager dedicated to curating personalized luxury adventures across the country.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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For those exercising and walking their dogs, taking regular water breaks was a must.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Simply put, the small-town bumpkins from North Florida who support this idea should be made to pay for it.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
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Clifton loved motorcycles and, as Hawkins said, was a country bumpkin who loved nature.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Part of his way of taking it yokel — besides bringing in Foo Fighter Rami Jaffee on accordion and Willie Aron blowing harmonica — was to add a previously unheard yodel to the chorus.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
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It was adapted into a huge hit movie starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, but the breakout characters were local yokels Ma and Pa Kettle, who went on to star in eight spinoff movies.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Churl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churl. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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