65 Quotes about Rudeness: Learn How to Handle Overgrown Bullies

Rudeness can be a defense mechanism for those who are deeply insecure. While it doesn't excuse toxic behavior, it is always good to try and understand if we can help individuals who are struggling. Read the 65 quotes below to find out more.

We've all experienced what it's like to be around rude people—perhaps we have even been the target of their jabs, insults, and inconsiderate behavior,

Typically, individuals who employ this demeanor disguise their rudeness with apparent jokes or under the pretense of just being honest. Read these 65 quotes to read more about rudeness and how to handle it.

John Locke’s quote: "There cannot be greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse." | Image: AmoDays

Quotes on Recognizing Rudeness in Many Contexts

"It is terribly rude to tell people that their troubles are boring." ― Lemony Snicket

"Rudeness is not having fun, and if it is, it's at the expense of another person." ― Marco Pierre White

"A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person." ― Dave Barry

"'Honesty' in social life is often used as a cover for rudeness. But there is quite a difference between being candid in what you're talking about and people voicing their insulting opinions under the name of honesty." ― Judith Martin

"There cannot be greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse." — John Locke

Lemony Snicket’s quote: "It is terribly rude to tell people that their troubles are boring." | Image: AmoDays

"I have seen people rude by being over-polite." — Michel De Montaigne

"Frankness is usually a euphemism for rudeness." — Muriel Spark

"Rudeness is better than any argument —it totally eclipses intellect." — Arthur Schopenhauer

Behind-the-Scenes of Rude Behavior Quotes

"Rudeness is a weak imitation of strength." — Eric Hoffer

"Most of the time, people don't mean to be rude; it's just their sadness showing through." — Sarah Jio

Michel De Montaigne’s quote: "I have seen people rude by being over-polite." | Image: AmoDays

"Rudeness is a means to attract attention, assert power, cover-up ineptitude, deflect personal insecurities, and intimidate meeker people." ― Kilroy J. Oldster

"Rudeness luxuriates in the absence of self-respect." — Eric Hoffer

"It's not a slam at you when people are rude; it's a slam at the people they've met before." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

"…believing sarcasm and rude remarks kept the monsters at bay. They didn't." ― Louise Penny, "A Rule Against Murder"

Eric Hoffer’s quote: "Rudeness is a weak imitation of strength." | Image: AmoDays

"Do not be threatened by rude people because rudeness is a sign of insecurity." ― Gift Gugu Mona

"When the healthy pursuit of self-interest and self-realization turns into self-absorption, other people can lose their intrinsic value in our eyes and become mere means to the fulfillment of our needs and desires." ― P.M. Forni

Quotes on Rude Behavior and Its Off-Putting Nature

"No one is more insufferable than he who lacks basic courtesy." ― Bryant McGill

"Ideological differences are no excuse for rudeness." ― Judith Martin

"Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred." ― Bryant McGill

Eric Hoffer’s quote: "Rudeness luxuriates in the absence of self-respect." | Image: AmoDays

"There's no excuse for rudeness." ― Tyra Banks

"Rudeness, I think, is the worst." ― Erin Heatherton

"Discomfort is understandable. It's the rudeness that isn't." ― N.K. Jemisin, "The Fifth Season"

"Prefacing a sentence with 'I don't want to appear rude, but...' flags up the same alarm bells as 'I am not racist, but...' It's quite simple: if you don't want to appear rude, don't be rude. If you're not a racist, don't behave like a racist." ― Shaun Bythell, "The Diary of a Bookseller"

"People don't realize how their rude words can mess with your head forever." ― Garima Soni

Quotes on Dealing With Rudeness

Gift Gugu Mona’s quote: "Do not be threatened by rude people because rudeness is a sign of insecurity." | Image: AmoDays

"Etiquette does not render you defenseless. If it did, even I wouldn't subscribe to it. But rudeness in retaliation for rudeness just doubles the amount of rudeness in the world." — Judith Martin

"When people are rude to us, even if we didn't do them any harm, we may feel awful, but we must try to not let our awfulness create hatred in us towards them because once we give in to hate, it won't stop there." ― Abhijit Naskar

"Rudeness can make me angry." ― Clive Owen

"Elegance and kindness is an elegant and kind reply to the rudeness of this world!" ― Mehmet Murat ildan

Kilroy J. Oldster’s quote: "Rudeness is a means to attract attention, assert power, cover-up ineptitude, deflect personal insecurities, and intimidate meeker people." | Image: AmoDays

"Focus not on the rudeness of others, not on what they've done or left undone, but on what you have done and have not done yourself." ― Gautama Buddha

"Rudeness affected Margaret like a bitter taste in the mouth. It poisoned life. At times it is necessary, but woe to those who employ it without due need." ― E.M. Forster, "Howards End"

"Elegance and kindness is an elegant and kind reply to the rudeness of this world!" ― Mehmet Murat ildan

"If you are rude, cynical, habitually-sarcastic or pessimistic, your life options are going to be very limited." ― Bryant McGill

"If you ever feel nobody listen to you, especially someone you love, it's okay. You can't change their minds, and you can't change their attitude. It's learning behavior, don't judge them." ― Daniel Oluwaseun

Neal A. Maxwell’s quote: "Love, patience, and meekness can be just as contagious as rudeness and crudeness." | Image: AmoDays

"More often than not, we're not mindful or prudent of what we say until we already hurt or offended someone. And the sad part of it, we don't always own or take responsibility for our insensitivity, and that's tragic." ― Danny Castillones Sillada

"It is a wise thing to be polite; consequently, it is a stupid thing to be rude. To make enemies by unnecessary and willful incivility is just as insane a proceeding as to set your house on fire. For politeness is like a counter-an avowedly false coin, with which it is foolish to be stingy." ― Arthur Schopenhauer

"Love, patience, and meekness can be just as contagious as rudeness and crudeness." — Neal A. Maxwell

More Quotes on Rudeness

"Inconsiderate, rude behavior drives me nuts. And I guess the inconsiderate rudeness of social ineptitude definitely fuels my work." — Cindy Sherman

"You've just inherited rudeness. We've had to work at it." ― John Connolly, "The Infernals"

Chris Churchill’s quote: "Most of the time, no matter how impossible it seems, people truly don't realize how rude they're being." | Image: AmoDays

"Some people leave artwork, some people do rude things, other people then turn those rude things into nice things." — Peter Molyneux

"I'm accustomed to Internet forums where rudeness and incivility are the rule―where too many people seem to take pride in their insults." ― Bryan Burrough

"There's a lot of rudeness and sullen behavior, and kids that are very entitled and spoiled just buy me more stuff. I didn't want to raise kids like that." ― Amy Chua

"Living en famille provides the strongest motives for rudeness combined with the maximum opportunity for displaying it." ― Quentin Crisp

Bryant McGill’s quote: "No one is more insufferable than he who lacks basic courtesy." | Image: AmoDays

"A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." ― Bill Watterson

"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot." ― Robert A. Heinlein

"Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature." ― Sivananda

"I'm not mean to fans because I'm a bad guy. I'm mean to them because they're rude." ― Seth Rollins

"I was so rude when I was a little girl." ― Rihanna

Judith Martin’s quote: "Etiquette does not render you defenseless. If it did, even I wouldn't subscribe to it. But rudeness in retaliation for rudeness just doubles the amount of rudeness in the world." | Image: AmoDays

"I believe if you are nice to people, children will follow. Likewise, if you are rude to people, children will follow." — Wendi Deng Murdoch

"It is so tempting to return rudeness with rudeness!" ― Mallory Ortberg

"Forgive my rudeness. I cannot abide useless people." — Jane Espenson

"In my culture, whispering in the company of others is considered rude." ― Yolanda Hadid

"He's still young enough to think that rudeness wins respect." ― Joe Abercrombie, "Last Argument of Kings"

Bryant McGill’s quote: "If you are rude, cynical, habitually-sarcastic or pessimistic, your life options are going to be very limited." | Image: AmoDays

"Never in England were there so many gentlemen and so little gentleness." ― C.J. Sansom, "Tombland"

"Livvy noted there seemed some communal feeling between the married: any wife could be faintly rude to anyone else's husband." ― Elizabeth Bowen, "The Last September"

"Waiters can be so rude." ― A.D. Aliwat, "In Limbo"

"A true gentleman is one who is never intentionally rude." ― Oscar Wilde

"I'm not a phony-friendly guy, and I'm usually very quiet and not a big laugher, so some people might take that for rudeness and being mean. If anyone ever got that impression, I apologize. I love all my fans and really appreciate all their support!" ― Jesse McCartney

Cindy Sherman's quote: "Inconsiderate, rude behavior drives me nuts. And I guess the inconsiderate rudeness of social ineptitude definitely fuels my work." | Image: AmoDays

"Death is impatient and thoughtless. It barges into your room when you are right in the middle of something, and it doesn't bother to wipe its boots." ― Tom Robbins, "Jitterbug Perfume"

"Inappropriateness is funny to me. Rudeness is hilarious." — Zach Galifianakis

"Viewers don't like rudeness, but they like us to be persistent." ― Gavin Esler

"It’s a rather rude gesture, but at least it's clear what you mean." ― Katharine Hepburn

Zach Galifianakis’ quote: "Inappropriateness is funny to me. Rudeness is hilarious." | Image: AmoDays

"I would apologize for my rudeness if I had any manners. Happily, I don't." ― Tamora Pierce, "Emperor Mage"

"Was it the forgetfulness of old age or personal incapacity that made the man able to say please but not thank you?" ― Yann Martel, "Beatrice and Virgil"

"Most of the time, no matter how impossible it seems, people truly don't realize how rude they're being." ― Chris Churchill

"I've been to L.A. before, and I love the sunshine and the fact that people seem so genuinely nice and pleased to see you―which is so different from London. Maybe I'll end up so tired of smiles and helpfulness that I'll long for the rudeness and cynicism of home." ― Helen George

Mallory Ortberg’s quote: "It is so tempting to return rudeness with rudeness!" | Image: AmoDays

Rudeness, at its core, implies a sense of insecurity, and so, while we can have compassion for individuals who behave like this, that does not mean we need to keep them in our lives.

That being said, we don't have to give up quickly if we feel we can handle it or help them. Sometimes something as simple as an authentic conversation can help individuals at least begin to try and change their ways.

However, if you have made up your mind and are ready to let someone go, read these 47 no-drama quotes to detoxify your relationships and life to gain insight on where to begin.