Rude vs. Polite — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Rude and Polite
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Compare with Definitions
Rude
Offensively impolite or bad-mannered
She had been rude to her boss
He is a rude and arrogant bully
It's rude to talk about people right in front of them
Polite
Marked by or showing consideration for others and observance of accepted social usage.
Rude
Having a startling abruptness
The war came as a very rude awakening
Polite
Refined; elegant
Polite society.
Rude
Vigorous or hearty
Isabel had always been in rude health
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Polite
Well-mannered, civilized.
It's not polite to use a mobile phone in a restaurant.
Rude
Roughly made or done; lacking sophistication
A rude coffin
Polite
(obsolete) Smooth, polished, burnished.
Rude
Ill-mannered, discourteous, or insulting
Was offended by his rude behavior.
Polite
To polish; to refine; to render polite.
Rude
Undeveloped or uncivilized; primitive
A rude and savage land.
Polite
Smooth; polished.
Rays of light falling on a polite surface.
Rude
Crude, unfinished, or made with limited skill
A rude thatched hut.
Polite
Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil.
He marries, bows at court, and grows polite.
Rude
In a natural, raw state
Bales of rude cotton.
Polite
Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature.
Rude
Unpleasantly forceful or harsh
Faced rude winds.
Received a rude shock.
Polite
To polish; to refine; to render polite.
Rude
Chiefly British Vigorous or robust
In rude health.
Polite
Showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.
Rude
(Archaic) Lacking education or refinement
“They were so rude and ignorant ... that very little could be learned from them” (Samuel Johnson).
Polite
Marked by refinement in taste and manners;
Cultivated speech
Cultured Bostonians
Cultured tastes
A genteel old lady
Polite society
Rude
Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous.
This girl was so rude towards the cashier by screaming at him for no apparent reason.
Karen broke up with Fred because he was often rude to her.
Polite
Not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others;
Even if he didn't like them he should have been civil
Rude
Lacking refinement or skill; untaught; ignorant; raw.
Rude
Violent; abrupt; turbulent.
A rude awakening
Rude
Somewhat obscene, pornographic, offensive.
A rude film
Rude language
Rude
Undeveloped, unskilled, inelegant.
Rude
Hearty, vigorous; found particularly in the phrase rude health.
Rude
Crudely made; primitive.
Rude
Characterized by roughness; umpolished; raw; lacking delicacy or refinement; coarse.
Such gardening tools as art, yet rude, . . . had formed.
Rude
Unformed by taste or skill; not nicely finished; not smoothed or polished; - said especially of material things; as, rude workmanship.
Rude and unpolished stones.
The heaven-born childAll meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies.
Rude
Of untaught manners; unpolished; of low rank; uncivil; clownish; ignorant; raw; unskillful; - said of persons, or of conduct, skill, and the like.
He was but rude in the profession of arms.
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
Rude
Violent; tumultuous; boisterous; inclement; harsh; severe; - said of the weather, of storms, and the like; as, the rude winter.
[Clouds] pushed with winds, rude in their shock.
The rude agitation [of water] breaks it into foam.
Rude
Barbarous; fierce; bloody; impetuous; - said of war, conflict, and the like; as, the rude shock of armies.
Rude am I in my speech.
Unblemished by my rude translation.
Rude
Socially incorrect in behavior;
Resentment flared at such an unmannered intrusion
Rude
(of persons) lacking in refinement or grace
Rude
Lacking civility or good manners;
Want nothing from you but to get away from your uncivil tongue
Rude
(used especially of commodities) in the natural unprocessed condition;
Natural yogurt
Natural produce
Raw wool
Raw sugar
Bales of rude cotton
Rude
Belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness;
The crude weapons and rude agricultural implements of early man
Primitive movies of the 1890s
Primitive living conditions in the Appalachian mountains
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