boorish

American  

[boor-ish] / ˈbʊər ɪʃ /

adjective

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

   Synonyms:

   churlish, loutish, uncouth, coarse

   Antonyms:

   refined

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boorish British  

/ ˈbʊərɪʃ /

adjective

1. ill-mannered, clumsy, or insensitive; rude

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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

Explanation

If your cousin tells revolting jokes, belches, and smells like he spent the winter in a cave, he could be described as boorish — an adjective used for people with bad manners and a sloppy appearance. We almost always use the word boorish for men. This may be because it can be traced back to a 13th century word for “herdsman.” Herdsmen spent a lot of time alone with their sheep, sleeping in tents, and cooking over open fires, so it was no wonder that they didn't have the same refined manners as city folk. If someone offends you by acting boorishly — say, by cutting you off in traffic — you could exclaim, “What a boor!” Just don't confuse boor with bore: bad manners may be offensive, but they're rarely boring.

Example Sentences

The boring — and boorish — parts of that humanity are on display in “Stereophonic,” where there is more control room conflict than actual music making.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025

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

It’s boorish and grating, assuming its audience will lap up whatever tasteless parody it puts out for them just because it aligns with popular films that share its basic themes.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2025

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

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2025

I meant it to seem witty, but the words seemed to turn boorish as soon as they left my mouth.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• barbaric
• churlish
• coarse
• impolite
• rude
• tasteless
• uncivilized
• vulgar