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
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.
Recent Examples of rustic
Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
This Cyber Monday, Magnolia is offering up to 65% off across its collection of rustic-leaning furniture, home decor, lighting, rugs, tabletop, and more.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Another unique dining experience awaits at The Garlic, a rustic and eclectic compound with lush, winding courtyards and nightly entertainment to complement the extensive Italian menu.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rustic
Noun
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
This Cyber Monday, Magnolia is offering up to 65% off across its collection of rustic-leaning furniture, home decor, lighting, rugs, tabletop, and more.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Both spaces boast corresponding color palettes and an elevated rustic theme to fit the rest of the house.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Another unique dining experience awaits at The Garlic, a rustic and eclectic compound with lush, winding courtyards and nightly entertainment to complement the extensive Italian menu.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rustic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rustic
Noun
-
Let the peasants squabble amongst themselves about the refs and how unfair life is.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Pair them with boots, peasant tops, lightweight sweaters, and more.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the situation at the Ankara State Theater has uncomfortable parallels with the recent shuttering of the Kennedy Center in Washington in response to the artists boycotting it in protest at its rebranding.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The role of any newspaper, especially one with the long and proud legacy of The Sun, is not to smooth over uncomfortable realities in the name of civility.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Curtis wants to see a more holistic conversation on how to address delays in rural communities, rather than a proviso that diverts funding from projects long in the works.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Set against a backdrop of oppressive heat and drought, the narrative follows Isabel, a 17-year-old from the rural north who takes a job at an upscale country club outside Manila.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Though the private military firm has been credited with helping security forces get into neighborhoods and recently blew up the home of one of the country’s most notorious warlords, the presence of mercenaries operating in Haiti continues to make some lawmakers uneasy.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
As the pair struggles to survive the brutal Canadian backcountry, an uneasy bond forms.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
The tech driving my first clumsy steps included a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS sensors monitoring each ski’s position and the weight and angle of my heel.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Who wants to sit through a fictitious novelist’s clumsy drafts?—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Clifton loved motorcycles and, as Hawkins said, was a country bumpkin who loved nature.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Ma and Pa Kent are the most stereotypical country bumpkins imaginable.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rustic. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
