rough up
phrasal verb
roughed up; roughing up; roughs up
informal
: to hit and hurt (someone)
The prisoner claimed that he was roughed up by the guards.
Examples of rough up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some of them roughed up at least one of those critics before attacking a group of migrant workers in a racist assault.
—
Paul Stronski, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2015
Fights broke out on the convention center floor, with journalists also getting roughed up by security, in some cases live on air.
—Jack Birle, Washington Examiner, 17 Aug. 2024
Making matters worse, while leaving the nightclub that night, his bodyguards roughed up a photographer — who, to be fair, was attempting to climb into Prince’s limo — resulting in a lawsuit.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for rough up 
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Paul Stronski, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2015
Fights broke out on the convention center floor, with journalists also getting roughed up by security, in some cases live on air.
—Jack Birle, Washington Examiner, 17 Aug. 2024
Making matters worse, while leaving the nightclub that night, his bodyguards roughed up a photographer — who, to be fair, was attempting to climb into Prince’s limo — resulting in a lawsuit.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for rough up
Dictionary Entries Near rough up
Cite this Entry
“Rough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rough%20up. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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