variants
or less commonly rustical
1
: of, relating to, or suitable for the country : rural
rustic rolling farmland
2
a
: made of the rough limbs of trees
rustic furniture
b
: finished by rusticating
a rustic joint in masonry
3
a
: characteristic of or resembling country people
… depicted Arcadian landscapes with rustic figures …—
Philippa Lewis and Gillian Darley
Philippa Lewis and Gillian DarleyThis bucolic frame of mind has opened the door for a cuisine with rustic American roots …—Richard Dunmire and Joan Griffiths
Richard Dunmire and Joan Griffiths
b
: lacking in social graces or polish
4
: appropriate to the country (as in plainness or sturdiness)
heavy rustic boots
1
: an inhabitant of a rural area
2
a
: an awkward coarse person
b
: an unsophisticated rural person
Examples of rustic in a Sentence
Adjective
The inn has a rustic atmosphere.
rustic yokels whose first impulse was to smirk gawkily at anyone not of their own kind
Noun
a rustic who was awed by the prices that city dwellers had to pay
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
This satisfying six-ingredient dessert is an excellent example of the rustic Occitan cooking in northern Italy.
—Roberta Corradin, Saveur, 22 Jan. 2026
Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Don’t sleep on its heirloom section, either—a collection of rustic, foraged objects that would look just right on a shelf by the door in your unapologetically urban apartment.
—Air Mail, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rustic
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Adjective
The natural wood-grain adds a touch of texture to the room while maintaining rustic charm.
—Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
This satisfying six-ingredient dessert is an excellent example of the rustic Occitan cooking in northern Italy.
—Roberta Corradin, Saveur, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
Neither modish nor cookie-cutter rustic in aesthetic, the hotel, tucked away off the main street in the village of Malfa, feels like a genuine home, where old framed maps, ceramics, pots, and paintings, along with other antiques, have been collected over the years.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Don’t sleep on its heirloom section, either—a collection of rustic, foraged objects that would look just right on a shelf by the door in your unapologetically urban apartment.
—Air Mail, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rustic
Cite this Entry
“Rustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rustic. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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