as in peasant
an awkward or simple person especially from a small town or the country
a rustic who was awed by the prices that city dwellers had to pay
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also rustical
1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
rustic yokels whose first impulse was to smirk gawkily at anyone not of their own kind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rural
of, relating to, associated with, or typical of open areas with few buildings or people
a rustic area that has a refreshing lack of billboards and shopping malls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rustic
Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 3 Jan. 2026
This cabin kit trades a rustic, quaint look for a luxurious bungalow vibe that can be transformed into a guesthouse, an Airbnb, a cabin, a poolhouse, or even an office.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
Some are modern fire pits, while others are rustic and charming.
—Daniel Modlin, Architectural Digest, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rustic
Noun
Other trending styles including quiet luxury, European rustic, and warm minimalism.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 3 Jan. 2026
This cabin kit trades a rustic, quaint look for a luxurious bungalow vibe that can be transformed into a guesthouse, an Airbnb, a cabin, a poolhouse, or even an office.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Inside, wood beamed ceilings and rustic stonework highlight the signature style of the region.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
Some are modern fire pits, while others are rustic and charming.
—Daniel Modlin, Architectural Digest, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rustic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rustic
Noun
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These chapters reinforce the insight of the old peasant, that the meaning of things is in the living of our lives day by day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
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Peasant Blouses Perhaps the easy way to get in on the Wuthering Heights hype is with a breezy, ethereal peasant blouse.—
Eva Thomas,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And second, there’s the audience’s uncomfortable tingle of recognition watching Vladimir Putin’s tightening stranglehold on the Russian press.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Fortunately, there are many people who care enough about ballet to face these uncomfortable truths, and who are working to bring ballet into the twenty-first century by challenging traditions that don’t serve dancers’ health or the long-term health of the artform.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The controversy spotlighted the growing gap between rural and urban dwellers.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, in her current home of Ghana, Binta continues to expand her foundation, the Fonio Heritage Village, supporting women in rural communities through education and connection to markets.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Marlowe, the son of a poor Canterbury cobbler, and Shakespeare, the son of a Stratford glover and alderman, were both unlikely artistic geniuses, provincials in a nation in which social class was rigidly fixed.—
Heller McAlpin,
Christian Science Monitor,
10 Sep. 2025
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Sanders is a Catholic priest and former Augustinian provincial in California and lives in the Augustinian community in North Park.—
Gary Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Many travelers feel 'uneasy' about going abroad.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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The United States and Israel’s widening war with Iran has stricken an already uneasy global economy with a new bout of uncertainty.—
Mirtha Donastorg,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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
Adjective
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That makes the killers kind of human and fallible and clumsy, and these movies get a lot of mileage out of the slapstick shenanigans of their slasher chases.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
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Then, however, Phillips was sent off four minutes into the second half for a clumsy lunge at Svante Ingelsson, and suddenly Wednesday believed.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
22 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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Rustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rustic. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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