uncouth

adjective

ən-ˈküth How to pronounce uncouth (audio)
Definition of uncouthnext
1
as in boorish
having or showing crudely insensitive or impolite manners will not tolerate any uncouth behavior, such as eating with one's mouth open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste the movie's uncouth humor seemed to be purposely offensive

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 uncouth Those songs both ended with squalls of noise, hinting at Bash’s interest in more uncouth arrangements. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026 Journalists spoke of ‘uncouth’ and ‘ungroomed’ savages who cleaned their teeth using roots instead of toothbrushes, refused running water and only ate raw vegetables. — Literary Hub, 24 Mar. 2026 Trump's uncouth behavior barely rates a headline anymore, so frequent are the examples. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026 An evening revue of wild, uncouth performance art by local artists, emphasizing work that is often discouraged elsewhere. — Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for uncouth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncouth
  1. boorish
  2. vulgar
  3. loutish
  4. crass
  5. churlish
  6. rude
  7. classless
  8. coarse
Adjective
  • The voters repudiated the president in every way, growing tired of his lies, corrupt administration, unqualified Cabinet members, tariffs, needless wars, ongoing inflation, and undignified and boorish behavior.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The most surprising appearance of all, however, is that of longtime media executive Jeff Zucker, tearing into a boorish version of himself.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of boorish
Adjective
  • Please do not waste your sympathy on the misguided and vulgar notion that spending loads of money is a prerequisite for a lovely wedding or meaningful reception.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Taylor describes inappropriate physical touch, as well as the knight cornering her and saying vulgar things.
    — Alessandra Schade, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • Oasis’s loutish laddishness represented all the worst bits of modern Britain.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the palace has been besieged by loutish suitors, led by the scheming Antinous (Robert Pattinson), all of them vying for the queen’s hand in remarriage and mooching off the absent king’s food and wine.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of loutish
Adjective
  • Where does a man like this — tenacious, fiery, unapologetically crass — come from?
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But the fashionable-at-the-time nakedness of the YBAs’ desire for money, most completely embodied by Hirst, quickly became crass.
    — Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • But the tournament will also be remembered for a classless and churlish Argentina, which forever stained itself with a thuggish performance in the game and an ungracious one afterward.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • If Vance now recognizes his comments as churlish, lacking in charity, and utterly unlikely to persuade voters, much less witness to the sublime truths of the Christian religion, good for him.
    — Matthew Walther, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of churlish
Adjective
  • Rosie Campbell, Managing Director of Eleos AI Research, a nonprofit dedicated to understanding and addressing the potential well-being of AI, said that some other studies have even shown that rude questions can actually improve results.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Others have seized on comments he’s made about the event, such as calling attendees rude or casting town halls as dangerous.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • Was great timing to bring class an reverence to The Star Bangled Banner after the disrespectful behavior towards it this week by some classless individuals.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Then, from the sixteenth century onward, Christian philos-ophers and social reformers repeatedly engaged in thought experiments about classless Utopias.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of classless
Adjective
  • Coir doormats, made with coconut fiber, are appreciated for their coarse, abrasive textures.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
  • At Cafe Cuil on the Isle of Skye, the menu features properly traditional, coarse pinhead oats soaked in oat milk overnight and finished with a seasonal topping – currently, hazelnut brittle praline and poached pears.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of coarse

Browse Nearby Words

uncourageous
uncouth
uncouthness
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Uncouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncouth. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wabi-sabi

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All