1
: an awkward unsophisticated person : rustic
2
: a naive or inexperienced person
Examples of rube in a Sentence
They treated us as if we were a bunch of rubes.
rural voters were tired of being treated as rubes by state officials, who showed interest in them only at election time
Recent Examples on the Web
That set-up makes Cole relatively unique among prediction markets’ headliners, many of whom are suspected of exploiting insider info to dupe rubes for short-term gains.
—
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Feb. 2026
Harry would be right to be bitter; Sally’s optimism was for rubes.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
As for partisan rubes like Senator Van Hollen, Maryland can do better.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2025
There was no quintessential American, so Twain imagined him: a wily rube, cynical toward the same refinements of Europe that inspired awe in him.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rube
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Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Feb. 2026
Harry would be right to be bitter; Sally’s optimism was for rubes.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
As for partisan rubes like Senator Van Hollen, Maryland can do better.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2025
There was no quintessential American, so Twain imagined him: a wily rube, cynical toward the same refinements of Europe that inspired awe in him.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rube
Cite this Entry
“Rube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rube. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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