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ungenteel

ungenteel

9.9
Not polite and not showing good manners
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnˈdʒiːnˌtiːl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : grosero
  • The ungenteel remarks made by the politician during the debate drew criticism from the audience.

Examples

  • It was that nobody in that little Midwestern town, that little upper-middle-class enclave just beyond the margin of a suburb of Chicago, would ever be ungenteel enough to mention the fact that I was not a white girl.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • That's a very ungenteel word.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • And since I lived in that place from before the moment I came to have a memory, it took me a long time to become ungenteel enough to mention the obvious to myself.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • There is an unsolicitous and ungenteel quality about the desert Christians that makes them especially attractive in our current climate of sentimentalized, feel-good spirituality.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Chesterfield repeatedly warned his son "against those disagreeable tricks and awkwardnesses... such as odd motions, strange postures, and ungenteel carriage."

    Academic text (1996)
  • His ungenteel behavior at the dinner party shocked everyone, as he spoke rudely and interrupted the host.

  • She felt embarrassed by her ungenteel manners, especially when she accidentally spilled her drink at the formal event.

Synonyms

rude
vsungenteel
594 1.0

Not polite or showing little respect for others

includes missing refinement and cultured manners beyond simple impoliteness
impolite
vsungenteel
21 2.3

Not showing good manners or respect to other people

is broader, pointing to lack of refinement and cultured behavior
unbecoming
vsungenteel
  • Formal
15 6.7

Not suitable for a situation or for what people expect

emphasizes lack of polite culture and refinement rather than mere unsuitability
undignified
vsungenteel
11 4.7

Appearing or behaving in a way that makes people lose respect

concerns lacking refined manners and culture rather than only dignity loss
uncouth
vsungenteel
  • Offensive
10 8.4

Not polite or well behaved in a rough way

is about lacking polite manners and cultured behavior rather than roughness
uncivil
vsungenteel
9 6.0

Not polite and rude to other people

means missing social polish and culture more broadly than rudeness
ill-mannered
vsungenteel
5 3.9

Rude and impolite in how someone talks or acts

is about general lack of refinement not only single rude acts
ungracious
vsungenteel
4 6.7

Rude and not polite or kind

is about lacking cultured refinement and proper social behavior instead
unrefined
vsungenteel
  • Offensive
1 6.0

A person who lacks good manners or social skills

is about missing polish and taste rather than simple impoliteness
indecorous
vsungenteel
  • Formal
1 9.2

Not showing good manners in public or formal places

is about missing refinement and cultured manners rather than only impropriety
undiplomatic
vsungenteel
1 7.0

Not careful about hurting other people's feelings in sensitive situations

refers to missing refinement and polite culture rather than poor negotiation skill
ungentlemanly
vsungenteel
1 7.0

Rude or unfair behavior that shows little respect for others

is the general term for lacking refinement beyond specific social expectations
unmannerly
vsungenteel
1 6.3

Not polite and often rude to others

highlights lack of broader refinement and cultured behavior instead of single rudeness
ungallant
vsungenteel
1 9.1

Not polite or kind to other people

covers general lack of refinement and manners, not only discourtesy to others
ill-bred
vsungenteel
  • Offensive
1 7.1

Rude and showing bad manners

emphasizes social lack of polish, not only upbringing issues
unmannered
vsungenteel
1 7.2

Not showing good manners toward others

stresses missing polish and culture rather than isolated bad acts
unchivalrous
vsungenteel
1 8.6

Not polite or kind to someone in a social situation

is broader, referring to general lack of refinement beyond brief courtesy faults
incivil
vsungenteel
  • Archaic
9.9

Rude in words or behavior toward other people

covers missing refinement and polite behavior but marked as archaic
uncomely
vsungenteel
  • Archaic
9.6

Not proper in dress or behavior in polite company

focuses on acceptability in social norms rather than general lack of refinement
uncute
vsungenteel
  • Informal
8.8

Acting or speaking in a way that upsets people

is about lacking refinement and proper cultured manners rather than informal displeasure
untactful
vsungenteel
7.2

Not careful about other people's feelings when you speak or act, making others feel bad

is broader, covering overall lack of refinement beyond just tactlessness
solecistic
vsungenteel
9.9

Showing bad manners that make others uncomfortable

is about missing cultured manners and refinement rather than only etiquette faults
ungentlemanlike
vsungenteel
8.0

Not acting politely or respectfully toward others

is broader, indicating missing cultured manners beyond particular social roles
unlaced
vsungenteel
  • Informal
7.3

A person who speaks and acts in an open, informal way that ignores social rules

emphasizes missing refinement and polite culture rather than informal frankness

Antonyms

14 7.7

Polite and elegant in a way that tries to impress others

How Refined

genteel
14 7.7
polite
329 1.0
ungenteel
  • Archaic
9.9
uncouth
  • Offensive
10 8.4
vulgar
  • Offensive
22 6.5

Surface Forms

ungenteel positive
ungenteeler comparative
ungenteelest superlative

Morphology

ungenteel = genteel (transparent) = un + genteel

The productive negation prefix 'un-' is attached to the familiar adjective 'genteel', yielding the direct opposite meaning.

Etymology

Ungenteel is made of un- ('not') and genteel, which comes from old words meaning 'of a good family' and is the same idea behind gentry and gentle. So ungenteel means not polite or not showing that refined, well-born behavior.