brusque
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
See blunt.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of brusque
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French, from Italian brusco “rough, tart,” special use of brusco (noun) “butcher's broom,” from Late Latin brūscum, for Latin rūscus, rūscum, perhaps conflated with unattested Vulgar Latin brūcus “heather” ( see brier 2)
Explanation
If you ask a salesperson for help finding something and all you get in response is a brusque "Everything's out on the shelves," you'll probably take your business elsewhere. A brusque manner of speaking is unfriendly, rude, and very brief. Brush and brusque are not related, but they sound similar — when someone is brusque, you often feel that they are trying to give you the brush off. Near synonyms for brusque are curt, short, and gruff. Brusque (pronounced "brusk") was borrowed from the French word meaning "lively or fierce," from Italian brusco, "coarse, rough."
Vocabulary lists containing brusque
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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.
Her brother, John, who runs the family scrapyard, is equally brusque.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Tudor's brusque, plain speaking style got no more out of the Spurs squad than Frank's more empathetic approach.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026
Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, who ran against her for mayor as an old-school progressive, said she could be uncompromising and brusque in policy deliberations.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2024
Whenever “Martha” captures these moments of introspection we see its eponymous figure exposed for what she is – ambitious and demanding, forward-thinking and innovative, brusque and task-obsessed.
From Salon • Oct. 30, 2024
Her voice sounded as brusque as usual, but it had another note in it, too—a touch of guilt.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
