rougher; roughest
1
a
: marked by inequalities, ridges, or projections on the surface : coarse
b
: covered with or made up of coarse and often shaggy hair
rough-coated collie
compare smooth, wirehaired
c(1)
: having a broken, uneven, or bumpy surface
rough terrain
(2)
: difficult to travel through or penetrate : wild
into the rough woods—
P. B. Shelley
P. B. Shelley2
a
: turbulent, tempestuous
rough seas
b(1)
: characterized by harshness, violence, or force
(2)
: presenting a challenge : difficult
rough to deal with—R. M. McAlmon
R. M. McAlmon3
: coarse or rugged in character or appearance: such as
a
: harsh to the ear
b
: crude in style or expression
c
d
: marked by a lack of refinement or grace : uncouth
4
a
: crude, unfinished
rough carpentry
b
: executed or ventured hastily, tentatively, or imperfectly
a rough draft
rough estimate
1
2
British
: without usual conveniences
especially
: without proper shelter
become homeless and have to sleep rough —London Times
London Times 1
: uneven ground covered with high grass, brush, and stones
specifically
: such ground bordering a golf fairway
2
: the rugged or disagreeable side or aspect
hiking-camping admirers of nature in the rough—Eleanor Stirling
Eleanor Stirling3
a
: something in a crude, unfinished, or preliminary state
b
: broad outline : general terms
the question … has been discussed in rough—Manchester Guardian Weekly
Manchester Guardian Weekly
c
: a hasty preliminary drawing or layout
4
: rowdy
roughed; roughing; roughs
1
: roughen
2
b
: to subject to unnecessary and intentional violence in a sport
a penalty for roughing the passer
c
: shell sense 3
—used with up
was roughed up for six runs
3
: to calk or otherwise roughen (a horse's shoes) to prevent slipping
4
a
: to shape, make, or dress in a rough or preliminary way
b
: to indicate the chief lines of
rough out the structure of a building
rougher
noun
Synonyms
Adjective
Verb
- bash
- baste
- bat
- batter
- beat
- belabor
- belt
- birch
- bludgeon
- buffet
- bung up
- club
- curry
- do
- drub
- fib [British]
- flog
- hammer
- hide
- lace
- lambaste
- lambast
- lash
- lather
- lick
- maul
- mess (up)
- paddle
- pelt
- pommel
- pound
- pummel
- punch out
- slate
- slog
- switch
- tan
- thrash
- thresh
- thump
- tromp
- wallop
- whale
- whip
- whop
- whap
- whup
- work over
Examples of rough in a Sentence
Adjective
He trimmed the rough edge of the paper.
We traveled over rough dirt roads.
They hiked through rough terrain.
We were a bit shaken from the plane's rough landing.
He went through a rough patch after his divorce.
They've hit a few rough spots in their marriage.
Despite a rough start, the team won more games this season than last.
Adverb
The engine is running a little rough.
Life has been treating her pretty rough.
He plays rough with the dog.
people living rough on the streets
Noun
He hit his drive into the rough.
He showed me a few roughs of the new building.
Verb
He was called for roughing the kicker.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
The report comes during a rough period for the retail pharmacy giant.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
Fred A. Bernstein, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2022
What is verifiably true is that, unlike the hulking, rough-faced cast iron we’re used to today, these elder vessels are almost unbearably wonderful, made from a thinner cast and consequently lighter weight, with surfaces that are satin smooth.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2021
Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
There were a number of factors for the high scores, including tough pin placements and thick rough that was soaked during a storm Monday that overwhelmed parts of the city.
—Bernie Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024
Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 14 Dec. 2024
Thankfully, Netflix did license the final product—a dreamlike half-hour drama that follows a teenage girl (a magnetic Megan Stott) who abruptly abandons her life of high school and social media to rough it in Cascade National Forest.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rough 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Being a rookie who is recovering from a second ACL injury and second ACL surgery soon after recovering from the first ACL injury and surgery is a whole another level of rough.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
The report comes during a rough period for the retail pharmacy giant.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
Adverb
His own house in Fire Island Pines, built in 1961, was a single rectangle of about 600 square feet constructed from rough-cut cedar.
—Fred A. Bernstein, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2022
What is verifiably true is that, unlike the hulking, rough-faced cast iron we’re used to today, these elder vessels are almost unbearably wonderful, made from a thinner cast and consequently lighter weight, with surfaces that are satin smooth.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2021
Noun
They’re cut to fit from a single rough, one at a time.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
There were a number of factors for the high scores, including tough pin placements and thick rough that was soaked during a storm Monday that overwhelmed parts of the city.
—Bernie Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024
Verb
This time, the kick was short, but the officials called roughing the kicker, a call with which Windsor coach Rob Fleeting did not agree.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 14 Dec. 2024
Thankfully, Netflix did license the final product—a dreamlike half-hour drama that follows a teenage girl (a magnetic Megan Stott) who abruptly abandons her life of high school and social media to rough it in Cascade National Forest.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rough
Articles Related to rough
Dictionary Entries Near rough
Cite this Entry
“Rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rough. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rough
1 of 4 adjective1
a
: having an uneven surface : not smooth
b
: covered with or made up of coarse and often shaggy hair or bristles
a rough-coated terrier
2
a
: not calm
rough seas
b
: being harsh or violent
rough treatment
c
: difficult to take or deal with
we've had some rough times
3
a
: harsh to the ear
b
: coarse or rugged in nature or look
4
: not complete or exact
a rough draft
rough estimate
rough
2 of 4 noun1
: uneven ground covered with high grass, brush, and stones
2
: the rugged or unpleasant part of something
nature in the rough
3
: something in a crude or unfinished state
also
: such a state
a diamond in the rough
rough
3 of 4 adverb
: in a rough way : not smoothly
the engine idled rough, but ran smoothly at high speed
Medical Definition
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