1
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
a face rough with a couple days' worth of beard
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2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
rough waters that made sailing our sloop a little risky
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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
at least wear a raincoat if you're going out into that rough weather
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4
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
a rough board can give you splinters
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5
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a forensics expert who willingly takes on rough assignments
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6
as in tough
difficult to endure
I've had a rough time of it since I lost my job
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7
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the rough faces of hardened criminals who had spent most of their lives behind bars
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8
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
made a rough camp as darkness fell over the forest
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9
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
he learned polite words to replace the rough language he had known growing up
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10
11
12
as in wild
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
after a rough week on the high seas, we were happy to sail through the gulf's more tranquil waters
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as in rowdy
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as in to chop
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rough
Angela Chan-Danisi, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Her generation had its pretensions, however rough the family seems now.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 21 May 2025
Jill Newman, Robb Report, 18 Oct. 2023
Players will also encounter four-inch rough, which has been left to grow thickly undisturbed.
—Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2023
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2025
Referees came under similar scrutiny during the Chiefs' divisional round playoff win against the Houston Texans one week earlier when a pair of roughing the passer penalties were called against the Texans for hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough
Adjective
By turning rough sketches into photorealistic images with accurate materials and trims, teams can visualize products earlier in the process and reduce sampling time and cost by up to 60%.
—Angela Chan-Danisi, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Her generation had its pretensions, however rough the family seems now.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 21 May 2025
Noun
That stone dates to 1878, when Charles Lewis Tiffany acquired the 287-carat rough that was unearthed in South Africa’s Kimberly mine, for a mere $18,000.
—Jill Newman, Robb Report, 18 Oct. 2023
Players will also encounter four-inch rough, which has been left to grow thickly undisturbed.
—Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2023
Verb
The Yankees roughed Cortes up on Saturday, as Goldschmidt, Bellinger and Aaron Judge – who is not using the torpedo design – smoked the lefty’s first three pitches of the game for home runs.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2025
Referees came under similar scrutiny during the Chiefs' divisional round playoff win against the Houston Texans one week earlier when a pair of roughing the passer penalties were called against the Texans for hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough
Adjective
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Getty Images Jenner's look, on the other hand, was quite a departure from her usual sleek yet shaggy pixie.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
13 May 2025
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Using your hands, mix until a shaggy dough forms and all of the dry spots are gone.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Combs apologized for his violent behavior soon after the video's release.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
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For that reason, Torres-Chirinos is also charged with two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful alien.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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These steps prevent, rather than heal, costly losses that weaken a company’s cash position, especially in turbulent times.—
Dean Kaplan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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This time, there’s still some uneasiness around the organization, mainly rooted in its turbulent recent past.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Bread crumbs • Props to the hair, makeup, and costuming departments for differentiating Kiki’s Simone from pre-Michaela Simone, who showed up to the island with a scraggly ponytail, a gray button-down, uneven skin, and scrawled tattoos.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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Case for caution: On the flip side, skeptics point to the uneven performances, particularly internationally, and concerns about his hockey sense.—
Corey Pronman,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Two of Elissa’s tumors were obliterated that day, but the third was too difficult to reach without repositioning Elissa’s body in a way that would have taken too much time under anesthesia.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Luca Solca sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein Clouding the picture further, many other premium Swiss watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, are privately owned, making their performance difficult to decipher.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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That’s really tough to stop from turning into scoring opportunities for the opponent.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Dapple Baby takes this task very seriously, offering a fragrance-free formula that’s tough on stains yet gentle on newborn skin.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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The rest of the film takes place in a prison, where Henry’s gruff but philosophical cellmate, Gene (Shia LaBeouf), tries to teach him the ways of the world.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
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Fimmel digs into the more stereotypical gruff bounty hunter with relish, though the character itself is a western staple.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Where the real Colin and Emma have trouble getting much further than a clumsy hug after a putt-putt date, some of the acting couples have increased their intimacy levels with breathtaking speed.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 May 2025
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Word's document comparison interface is also clumsy and confusing compared with FineReader's.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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