as in hicks
an awkward or simple person especially from a small town or the country
rural voters were tired of being treated as rubes by state officials, who showed interest in them only at election time
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Recent Examples of rubes
That set-up makes Cole relatively unique among prediction markets’ headliners, many of whom are suspected of exploiting insider info to dupe rubes for short-term gains.
—
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Feb. 2026
Harry would be right to be bitter; Sally’s optimism was for rubes.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Feb. 2026
Harry would be right to be bitter; Sally’s optimism was for rubes.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubes
Noun
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This meant people on foot—peasants, in other words.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
26 Feb. 2026
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Let the peasants squabble amongst themselves about the refs and how unfair life is.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Simply put, the small-town bumpkins from North Florida who support this idea should be made to pay for it.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
How did clowns become a protest symbol?—
Janet W. Lee,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
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And, yeah, it’s run by unworthy—the clowns are the best one.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Using his Hollywood makeup father’s prosthetics, Holliday transforms himself into hayseed-like Chad Powers.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
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Baby Billy’s first full-frontal scene is more a testament to Walton Goggins’s incredible hayseed bravado in the rule.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubes. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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