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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 Perhaps what was once considered rude has become acceptable and prevalent. Judith Martin, Mercury News, 26 May 2025 Hintz, meanwhile, got a rude welcome back early in Game 4 when Evan Bouchard slashed him right in the same area that Darnell Nurse injured him in Game 2. Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 27 May 2025 And in the case of fully autonomous EVs, it might be considered rude to expect human passengers to get out and cable a robotaxi to a supercharger for a quick top up on the way to the airport. Paul Ridden may 23, New Atlas, 23 May 2025 There was no last call, no announcement, just one agent in particular that caused all the panic on both occasions (the first time being a over a full 40 minutes before departure) and was quite rude in his demeanor toward us and other passengers. Darlin Tillery, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rude
Adjective
  • The clumsy use of voice-overs is more embarrassing still.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • In the latest, a clumsy but charming young woman in Paris, struggling to become a writer and longing for Jane Austen-style romance, finally has her moment at a Jane Austen Writers’ Residency in England.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 May 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
  • But beyond the crass remarks about Read, experts say less explosive messages about Proctor's early opinions of the investigation could be damning.
    Julia Bonavita , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2025
  • What keeps these series from coming off as crass is the genuine camaraderie that connects their characters and shelters them, to some extent, from the precariousness of their lives.
    Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • In contrast, East Asia witnessed a 300-year period of peace between the 1590s and 1894, broken only by defensive engagements against barbarian incursions and five fairly small two-state wars.
    Michael Mann, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2012
  • 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
Adjective
  • Less prescient was her claim—ignorant in exactly the way of so many white feminists throughout history—that racial oppression would be solved once gender was abolished.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 11 June 2025
  • The provision prohibiting states from regulating AI for the next 10 years is unconscionably ignorant and dangerous.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • The government’s finances are highly sensitive to fluctuations in crude prices, with oil and gas earnings making up around 30% of federal revenues in 2024, according Heli Simola, senior economist at the Bank of Finland.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 6 June 2025
  • Oil producers’ group OPEC+ decided to up its production levels despite weak crude prices, in what is being seen as a bid to hold on to its market share in a tough economic environment.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • More Getty Images Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, had a rough week.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
  • Everyone plodded along, trying desperately to avoid rough that hasn’t been cut and greens that never seem to lose their speed.
    Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • Although contemporary smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant can manage rudimentary household commands—like turning on lights or checking the weather—agentic AI signifies a profound shift.
    Sandeep Shivam, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • These pioneers used rudimentary plows, but when steel plows became available farmers were able to plant and harvest much more food per acre to feed a growing population.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rude. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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