rude

adjective

\ ˈrüd

ruder; rudest

Definition of rude

1a : being in a rough or unfinished state : crude

b : natural, raw rude cotton

c : primitive, undeveloped peasants use rude wooden plows— Jack Raymond

d : simple, elemental

2 : lacking refinement or delicacy:

a : ignorant, unlearned

b : inelegant, uncouth

c : offensive in manner or action : discourteous

d : uncivilized, savage

e : coarse, vulgar

3 : marked by or suggestive of lack of training or skill : inexperienced rude workmanship

4 : robust, sturdy in rude health

5 : occurring abruptly and disconcertingly a rude awakening

Other Words from rude Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about rude

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Choose the Right Synonym for rude

rude, rough, crude, raw mean lacking in social refinement. rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy. rude behavior rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness. rough manners crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive. a crude joke raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished. turning raw youths into polished performers

Examples of rude in a Sentence

I was shocked by her rude behavior. I can't believe that he was so rude to me. I heard someone make a rude noise.

Recent Examples on the Web

Brenda Song plays a woman who’s in for a rude — and perhaps violent — awakening in the first trailer for Netflix’s upcoming thriller Secret Obsession. — Joey Nolfi, EW.com, "Brenda Song battles creepy stalker in Secret Obsession trailer," 8 July 2019 But the performance gap, whatever its size, is persistent enough to raise rude questions. — Scott Burns, Dallas News, "Couch Potato investing beats the teachers' pension fund — again," 22 June 2019 Only 51% of Americans approve of his performance on the economy, despite its rude health—and the economy is easily his strongest measure. — The Economist, "Donald Trump launches his re-election campaign," 20 June 2019 But Colorado found an ingenious way to deal with the rude rocks and, in the process, offered a useful philosophical lesson for humanity. — Sarah Todd, Quartz, "A giant boulder in Colorado offers a philosophical lesson for all of us," 8 June 2019 Leaving your AirPods in while ordering at Starbucks is rude, because the barista at the counter is owed some common courtesy. — Marina Koren, The Atlantic, "The Case for Wearing AirPods All the Time," 5 June 2019 Much was made during the campaign of Mr. Bolsonaro’s history of rude comments about women and minorities and about his pledge to use an iron fist to fight crime in poor neighborhoods. — Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, "Bolsonaro Takes Brazil," 28 Oct. 2018 That ends up just being a rushed over-the-shirt back rub, but everyone still complains this is a rude move. — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, "The Bachelor Season 23, Episode 2 Recap: Is Demi This Season's Villain?," 14 Jan. 2019 To avoid being lumped in with generic or rude Furby content on the platform, the true Furby fans on Tumblr label their posts with #furbyfandom. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, Vox, "Every Furby gets a home," 21 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.