ill-bred

adjective

ˈil-ˈbred How to pronounce ill-bred (audio)
Definition of ill-brednext
1
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste the ill-bred habit of chewing with the mouth open

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rude
showing a lack of manners or consideration for others only an ill-bred, conceited person would demand that everyone cater to their whims

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-bred
  1. vulgar
  2. rude
  3. crass
  4. thoughtless
  5. common
  6. unmannerly
  7. coarse
  8. uncouth
Adjective
  • But the school’s dress code prohibits messages that are lewd, indecent, vulgar or profane.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • Totally ignoring the humanity of both worker and customer is rude, and yet both parties are interested in getting on with whatever the transaction is.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • When Hank and Peggy meet a new family who has moved into the neighborhood, the Laotian Souphanousinphones, Hank immediately dislikes the father, Kahn, who is abrasive, competitive, and often rude.
    — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • To put it in its crassest terms, the story needs to come before the reporter.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a crass and charismatic oil executive who’s called upon to help save the world after his company nearly destroys it.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 July 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • At the outset of this chatty novel, the protagonist, Caroline, who was recently ghosted by a thoughtless man, has had a story published in this magazine.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That self-deprecating description opens Tony, writer-director Matt Johnson’s movie about the one crazy summer that changed a thoughtless young lout’s life; for good measure, the quote does double duty as the tagline on the film’s poster.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of thoughtless
Adjective
  • The most common type of vessel traveling through the strait was the product tanker, which typically transports refined petroleum products.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Anyway… Jiang came up with some good ways to promote sustainability for data center designs, making the argument that common-sense changes will matter.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of common
Adjective
  • Criticizing gifts is unmannerly, and while one is not generally allowed to expect gifts, the rule can be bent in the case of romantic partners.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
Definition of unmannerly
Adjective
  • Using clean hands or a pastry cutter, mash until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of flammable mulch like bark or wood chips, use lava stone or coarse gravel around any shrubbery that is within 5 feet of the structure.
    — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of coarse
Adjective
  • His gruff mechanic Cooter Davenport is introduced as a hell-raising, uncouth wild man, constantly taunting the authorities and flouting convention.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
  • An uncouth mix of stress and chlorine exposure recently left my skin simultaneously drier and more breakout-prone than it's been in quite a long time, and my usual routine of a quarter-size drop of skin tint just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
    — Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 1 July 2026
Definition of uncouth
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

ill-boding
ill-bred
illegal
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Cite this Entry

“Ill-bred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-bred. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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