as in boorish
having or showing crudely insensitive or impolite manners
it would be churlish for any dinner guest to express anything but gratitude for his host's generous hospitality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 churlish
The British series, which debuted in 2022, follows Oscar winner Gary Oldman’s churlish and disheveled Jackson Lamb as the leader of a team of disgraced and disowned MI5 agents scrappily and shabbily getting the job done.
—
Trey Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
Asked about these comments, and responding to them, Tiger himself was churlish.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 18 July 2024
Furthermore, Mody’s dismissal of India’s developmental gains in the three decades since liberalization comes across as churlish.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2023
And churlish is exactly how Trump wants to portray him.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 19 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for churlish
Trey Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
Asked about these comments, and responding to them, Tiger himself was churlish.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 18 July 2024
Furthermore, Mody’s dismissal of India’s developmental gains in the three decades since liberalization comes across as churlish.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2023
And churlish is exactly how Trump wants to portray him.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 19 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for churlish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churlish
Adjective
-
His boorish behavior was condemned by others silently and did not affect the solemnity of the ceremony.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2025
-
While the boorish behavior of Twain’s shipmates is cataloged throughout (snapping off pieces of ancient monuments for souvenirs, for instance), his most flamboyant portrayal is a self-portrait.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
Salary dumps can feel uncouth, and Miller could have brought back a lottery-ticket prospect.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
-
This includes uncouth habits like bad hygiene, inconsiderate acts like being self-centered or a violation of social norms.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
This was like loutish English tourists turning up unannounced and urinating in the holy water.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
And Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51, was the show’s tempestuous soul, playing a loutish killer with a quick temper and sad eyes.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Mia promises not to ask for help or do anything stupid.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
1 Aug. 2025
-
If the producers manage to create another roof moment, Torin and his stupid little hats are cooked.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The writer might have been reminded of Napoleon III, who hovers in the background of the novel as a sinister, clownish figure.—
Graham Robb,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
-
Orange cats, particularly tabbies like Butter, are known for their quirky and often clownish personalities.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
Private ownership is eliminated with the goal of all goods being equally shared in a classless society.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
-
For example, in Stalin’s communism, monism took the form of believing that the key is to establish a classless society — even if millions of people had to be killed to achieve that vision.—
Sigal Samuel,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Adjective
-
Some posed for photos, others made rude gestures, and many simply stared.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
27 July 2025
-
The movie’s off-color humor wouldn’t fly today, but its rebellious spirit remains hilariously defiant — a refreshingly rude retort to the niceties of family films and their cringey feel-good messages.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
By The Athletic’s count, over nine innings during the Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Mets, those fans aimed the same vulgar chant at Soto a whopping 38 times.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
-
Because at the time, Madonna was seen as this controversial and sort of vulgar character.—
Terry Gross,
NPR,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Churlish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churlish. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share