variants
also brusk
as in abrupt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner
a brusque and unhelpful reply from the clerk in the hardware store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brusque
No brusque acceleration but assertions of near-zero inflation clearly ring false.
—
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 14 Sep. 2025
The result was completely was enchanting, including the brusque Communist-era service.
—Sarah Turner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The drama is often bracingly straightforward; characters declare their motives and enact their plans with brusque directness.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 July 2025
The same substantive deficits afflict Louise-Parker, too, whose bright eyes and brusque wit are wasted in a role that’s villainous potential exists only in exposition.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for brusque
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 14 Sep. 2025
The result was completely was enchanting, including the brusque Communist-era service.
—Sarah Turner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The drama is often bracingly straightforward; characters declare their motives and enact their plans with brusque directness.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 July 2025
The same substantive deficits afflict Louise-Parker, too, whose bright eyes and brusque wit are wasted in a role that’s villainous potential exists only in exposition.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for brusque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brusque
Adjective
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While some of these chains have faced ongoing issues, others are experiencing abrupt downturns after enjoying recent periods of strength — with no turnaround in sight.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Nearly 7 million people on Medicare use telehealth services every year to see their doctors, but the federal shutdown put an abrupt halt on payments covering those services.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The right’s defense is equally blunt.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Hosts often want to hint that the evening is wrapping up without being blunt.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Approved by The Boss himself, the live-music and storytelling show finds Azaria slipping into his best Springsteen guise for a night of gruff tales and greatest hits.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
24 Dec. 2025
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The gory skit ends with the gruff older man rushing through the door to announce he’s made amends with his son, only to have his head sliced off by the flying chainsaw.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
21 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The host and White House correspondent had a curt reaction to the president's lengthy social media rant.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Dec. 2025
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After reinforcing her skills as a curt, potent writer with an uncannily keen handle on late-’90s and early-aughts pop culture, the 24-year-old puts her peers and influences on the remixes.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Pierre was short, with a white beard and flamboyant wild hair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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These bacteria ferment or break down prebiotics, releasing compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
People at work have made rude comments pertaining to my hearing.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Though Jackson acknowledged that those time crunches can be stressful, being rude isn't the way to go.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brusque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brusque. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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