Meaning & use
impolite
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Not showing good manners; slightly rude in speech or behavior.
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like be, seem, or sound: That remark was impolite. It can be comparative: even more impolite.
Patterns
- impolite to someone
- impolite to do something
- it is impolite to do something
It is impolite to interrupt someone while they are speaking.
He was impolite to the waiter, so I apologized.
Leaving without saying goodbye would be impolite.
Word forms
| comparative | more impolite |
|---|---|
| superlative | most impolite |
Common combinations
- impolite to someone
- She was impolite to the receptionist.
- impolite remark
- He made an impolite remark about her cooking.
- consider it impolite
- Many cultures consider it impolite to refuse food.
- sound impolite
- That email sounds impolite without a greeting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rude
- Rude is a stronger criticism and suggests deliberate bad manners; impolite often describes a minor breach of etiquette.
- discourteous
- Discourteous is more formal and often used in written complaints or official contexts.
- ill-mannered
- Ill-mannered suggests a general habit of bad behavior, while impolite can refer to a single act.
Opposites
Word family
- impolitely adverb
- In an impolite way.
- impoliteness noun
- The quality or act of being impolite.
Commonly confused: impolite or unpolite?
impolite vs unpolite
Unpolite is not standard English; use impolite instead.
Practice
It is considered ______ to ask someone how much money they earn.
Choose one answer.
The adjective impolite fits after the linking verb is considered. Impolitely is an adverb and cannot follow is considered; impoliteness is a noun and would need a determiner.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “impolite”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.