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Definition of "churlish" [churl•ish]

  • Of, like, or befitting a churl; boorish or vulgar. (adjective)
  • Having a bad disposition; surly: "as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear” ( Shakespeare). (adjective)
  • Difficult to work with, such as soil; intractable. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "churlish" in a sentence
  • "Far be it for me to remain churlish in the face of grace."
  • "The regret has to do with a certain churlish reluctance to share the generally under-appreciated qualities of the lamb neck bone."
  • "In using the word churlish to describe feminist behavior he doesn't like, this non-noble man who is admonishing Twisty, BitchPhD et al. is saying "be weaker," or "be less like men," or "be more like the wives and daughters of highly ranking men.""