Synonyms: gruff, brusque, blunt², curt
These adjectives mean abrupt and sometimes discourteous in manner or speech. Gruff implies roughness or surliness but does not necessarily suggest rudeness: a decent fellow once you get past the gruff manner. Brusque emphasizes rude abruptness: dismissed us with a brusque wave of the hand. Blunt stresses utter frankness and usually a disconcerting directness: was blunt in her disapproval of the idea. Curt denotes usually rude briefness and abruptness of speech: a curt, two-line letter of rejection.