unceremonious

American  

[uhn-ser-uh-moh-nee-uhs] / ˌʌn sɛr əˈmoʊ ni əs /

adjective

1. discourteously abrupt; hasty; rude.

   He made an unceremonious departure in the middle of my speech.

2. without ceremony or formalities; informal.

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unceremonious British  

/ ˌʌnsɛrɪˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

1. without ceremony; informal, abrupt, rude, or undignified

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Other Word Forms

• unceremoniously adverb
• unceremoniousness noun

Etymology

Origin of unceremonious

First recorded in 1590–1600; un- ¹ + ceremonious

Example Sentences

Jack dispensed with the card entirely and scrounged up only $2 from his room, which he handed to Finn with an unceremonious “here.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

Nancy's laidback arrival - spending just 15 minutes talking with Martin O'Neill before ripping up everything O'Neill had done to stabilise things - was in stark contrast to the unceremonious manner of his exit.

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2026

After his unceremonious firing, Man-su is utterly lost.

From Salon • Oct. 7, 2025

A nod of respect from USC to a football coach who spent a dozen years in the building before an unceremonious exit.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2025

Hermione shoved him back inside the beaded bag every time he did this, and Phineas Nigellus invariably refused to reappear for several days after these unceremonious good-byes.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling