Synonyms

boorish

American

[boor-ish] / ˈbʊər ɪʃ /

adjective

of or like a boor; unmannered; crude; insensitive.

Synonyms:

churlish, loutish, uncouth, coarse

Antonyms:

refined

boorish British

/ ˈbʊərɪʃ /

adjective

ill-mannered, clumsy, or insensitive; rude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Boorish, oafish, rude, uncouth all describe persons, acts, manners, or mannerisms that violate in some way the generally accepted canons of polite, considerate behavior. Boorish, originally referring to behavior characteristic of an unlettered rustic or peasant, now implies a coarse and blatant lack of sensitivity to the feelings or values of others: a boorish refusal to acknowledge greetings. Oafish suggests slow-witted, loutlike, clumsy behavior: oafish table manners. Rude has the widest scope of meaning of these words; it suggests either purposefully impudent discourtesy or, less frequently, a rough crudity of appearance or manner: a rude remark; a rude thatched hut. Uncouth stresses most strongly in modern use a lack of good manners, whether arising from ignorance or brashness: uncouth laughter; an uncouth way of staring at strangers.

Other Word Forms

boorishly adverb
boorishness noun

Etymology

Origin of boorish

First recorded in 1555–65; boor + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I refer, of course, to the boorish crowd at the Ryder Cup—and the extended aftermath of the antisocial behavior witnessed at Bethpage Black last weekend.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

Minister for Sport Anika Wells called the comments "boorish, boring and wrong".

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2025

Shortly after standing at the altar before family and friends, when we attended a UCLA-USC basketball game outfitted in our respective school sweatshirts, we were observed by a group of boorish Bruins.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2024

Last night in New Hampshire, he gave one of the most boorish victory speeches anyone has ever given.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2024

This action on my part led to a rather loud and defiantly boorish roar of protest from the collective workers, who began to regard me with sullen eves.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023