rough-and-tum·ble
ˌrə-fən-ˈtəm-bəl 
: rough disorderly unrestrained fighting or struggling
also
: infighting
1
: marked by rough-and-tumble
grew up in a rough-and-tumble atmosphere—
E. J. Kahn
E. J. Kahn
also
: rough-and-ready
2
: put together haphazardly : makeshift
a rough-and-tumble fence
Synonyms
Examples of rough-and-tumble in a Sentence
Noun
a rough-and-tumble broke out among the fans in the stands
Adjective
the announcement of his candidacy was made from a rough-and-tumble stage put together just that morning
Recent Examples on the Web
Greg McKenna, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
That is especially true in parliamentary democracies, where political party leaders are de facto candidates, engaging in the daily rough-and-tumble of governing and becoming well known to voters before a single campaign sign goes up.
—Josh Holder, New York Times, 26 July 2024
Stephen Groves, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Successful gold mining today bears little resemblance to the storied era of America’s first gold boom: rough-and-tumble 19th-century boomtowns cropping up overnight to accommodate speculative prospectors, chasing gold veins and rumors.
—Greg McKenna, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
That is especially true in parliamentary democracies, where political party leaders are de facto candidates, engaging in the daily rough-and-tumble of governing and becoming well known to voters before a single campaign sign goes up.
—Josh Holder, New York Times, 26 July 2024
Adjective
The trappings of the Senate were another world from Mr. Abourezk’s rough-and-tumble childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, where his Lebanese parents had immigrated and ran a general store.
—Stephen Groves, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Dictionary Entries Near rough-and-tumble
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share