rude

adjective

ˈrüd How to pronounce rude (audio)
ruder; rudest
Synonyms of rudenext
1
a
: being in a rough or unfinished state : crude
b
: natural, raw
rude cotton
c
: primitive, undeveloped
peasants use rude wooden plows—Jack Raymond
d
: simple, elemental
2
: lacking refinement or delicacy:
a
: ignorant, unlearned
b
: inelegant, uncouth
c
: offensive in manner or action : discourteous
d
: uncivilized, savage
e
: coarse, vulgar
3
: marked by or suggestive of lack of training or skill : inexperienced
rude workmanship
4
: robust, sturdy
in rude health
5
: occurring abruptly and disconcertingly
a rude awakening
rudely adverb

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for rude

rude, rough, crude, raw mean lacking in social refinement.

rude implies ignorance of or indifference to good form; it may suggest intentional discourtesy.

rude behavior

rough is likely to stress lack of polish and gentleness.

rough manners

crude may apply to thought or behavior limited to the gross, the obvious, or the primitive.

a crude joke

raw suggests being untested, inexperienced, or unfinished.

turning raw youths into polished performers

Examples of rude in a Sentence

I was shocked by her rude behavior. I can't believe that he was so rude to me. I heard someone make a rude noise.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Was the waiter being rude or was the customer overreacting? —Soo Kim, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024 Dropping in on someone with no warning is inconsiderate, bordering on rude. —Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2024 Lila lays into Dede, Elsa, and Imma, saying how rude and entitled the girls are. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024 Apparently, my daughter didn’t finish all of the food on her plate, and the mom felt that was incredibly rude and a sign of poor manners. —Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rude 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin rudis; probably akin to Latin rudus rubble

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rude was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing rude

Dictionary Entries Near rude

ruddy well

rude

rude awakening

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Rude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rude. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

rude

adjective
ˈrüd How to pronounce rude (audio)
ruder; rudest
1
: impolite
2
: not refined or cultured
3
: being sudden and forceful
a rude awakening
4
: being in a rough or unfinished state : roughly made
rudely adverb
rudeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rude

Nglish: Translation of rude for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of rude for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

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 Word Game 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?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...