1
as in peasant
an awkward or simple person especially from a small town or the country
as far as he was concerned, anyone from outside the city was a backwater churl
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in miser
a mean grasping person who is usually stingy with money
don't bother asking for donations at that house—the churl who lives there believes that charity begins and ends at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
a churl who gets thrown out of parties with remarkable regularity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of churl
But the cartoonish executive in Episode 1 will require a Grinch-like turnaround to become anything but a clownish churl.
—
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2022
The churl’s view.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 July 2021
Only a churl would lament the existence of these testaments to the out-of-nowhere potential of a great pop hit.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2021
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2022
The churl’s view.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 July 2021
Only a churl would lament the existence of these testaments to the out-of-nowhere potential of a great pop hit.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churl
Noun
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Pair them with boots, peasant tops, lightweight sweaters, and more.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But these peasant farmers kill themselves because of debt, not depression.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The more frugal sides are decried as misers or praised for their market savvy, no matter the surrounding factors.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Rather than just a simple miser, this movie portrays Scrooge as more of a ruthless businessman who believes he’s justified in his actions, making the character more relatable and redemptive.—
Janey Tracey,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Which is to say, this isn’t the story of a greedy, materialistic man who suffers a crisis of conscience while trying to pry a priceless treasure away from an uneducated hick who doesn’t know any better.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ricky develops romantic feelings for Chad even though Russ plays him as a soft-spoken, possibly dim rural hick who may well be a literal man-child.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Tony's Jamaican Food Curry goat, oxtail and jerk chicken are a few of the traditional Jamaican specialties served at this friendly Pflugerville restaurant and East Austin food truck.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
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Smarmy jerks can get obscenely wealthy in this country just by managing other people’s money.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The judge in front of me spent most of the time looking at the ground, leading ace AP boxing writer Ed Schuyler to write an entire story about the clown.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Deep cherry red, black, and white come together to create a whimsical world of dice, cards, sad clowns, and a ticking pocketwatch.—
Samantha Brash,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pet stations and small lawns for playing are located on both the north and south ends of the resort, and dogs can always hang out on the pool deck (but can’t swim) or at the private beach.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
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Your dog's bowl should be at least a bit taller than the planter, so that your dog can easily drink from it.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Clifton loved motorcycles and, as Hawkins said, was a country bumpkin who loved nature.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
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Ma and Pa Kent are the most stereotypical country bumpkins imaginable.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Part of his way of taking it yokel — besides bringing in Foo Fighter Rami Jaffee on accordion and Willie Aron blowing harmonica — was to add a previously unheard yodel to the chorus.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
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It was adapted into a huge hit movie starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, but the breakout characters were local yokels Ma and Pa Kettle, who went on to star in eight spinoff movies.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Churl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churl. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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