rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycrassInsensitive or crude
adjective

crass

KRASS/kræs/

Showing an offensive lack of sensitivity or refinement.

Putting dirty shoes beside the dinner plates is crass behavior.

At a small dinner table, person rudely puts dirty shoes on tabletop beside plates while two companions recoil with displeasure; coarse inconsiderate conduct, no speech bubbles.
Etymology
crassLatinthick, solid, dense

Latin crassus described physical thickness or density. Applied to personal qualities, this became mental obtuseness or gross stupidity, leading to the sense of coarse, insensitive behavior.

In context

The Scottish Parliament2:53
would be at the time of its passage, the legislation is a disaster. It is a disaster on paper and in reality. The Scottish National Party backslapping of 2021 was crass and ill-judged.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Repealing the Hate Crime Act - 17 April 2024

More examples

  • Asking about her inheritance at the funeral was crass.
  • The commercial turns a serious illness into a crass sales pitch.
  • He mistakes being crass for being honest.

Forms

crass · crasser · crassest

crassly adverb — In an offensively insensitive or unrefined manner.

crassness noun — An offensive lack of sensitivity or refinement.

Similar words

insensitive
Emphasizes disregard for others' feelings rather than poor taste.
crude
Emphasizes roughness or lack of polish, not necessarily insensitivity.
vulgar
Emphasizes offensive taste or indecency rather than disregard for feelings.