1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough (up)
Verb
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But Fahy, Alcock, and director Nicole Kassell are also very good at their jobs, and so even downright bizarre moments like Simone chewing Michaela’s used gum or Devon randomly licking a landscaper’s neck wind up making a strange sort of sense.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
22 May 2025 -
Jose shrugs, pleads with her to not lick anyone at the inn, and leaves.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The bill was named after Trey Carlock, a Dallas native who died by suicide in 2019 at the age of 28 after being abused by a Missouri summer camp director.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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Two tribal nations filed a lawsuit saying that the federal government used the trust fund money of tribes to pay for boarding schools where generations of Native children were systematically abused.—
Graham Lee Brewer,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
Verb
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At 19, Johnson married his wife Daphne and initially, was able to hide his drug use from her, the Johnson's clemency petition said.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Enhanced measurement capabilities: Amazon continues investing in Amazon Marketing Cloud with new UI templates and simplified queries, suggesting a commitment to transparency rather than hiding attribution.—
Kiri Masters,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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According to authorities, Ward told them the fight and stabbing were self-defense, claiming the mother attacked and punched her several times in the face.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2025
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There are several leaf spotting diseases that can attack hydrangeas.—
Janet B. Carson,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Thirty minutes later, Combs was pounding on the apartment door with a hammer, Morgan said.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
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Ahead of the Europa League semi-final, Postecoglou spoke to his players about the Stonecutter’s Credo (also known as pounding the rock), an allegory for persistence even when progress may not be visible.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The snake uses large eyes in daylight and heat-sensing divots along its lips in darkness to detect and ambush unlucky birds, bats and rodents that come too close, stopping their hearts with a muscular embrace.—
Alex Fox,
Smithsonian Magazine,
16 May 2025
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He was shot and stabbed on several occasions and killed a thieving female motel owner who ambushed him.—
Christie D’Zurilla,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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In a second Memorial Day social media post, Trump focused largely on lashing out at federal judges and perceived political opponents.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
26 May 2025
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President Donald Trump lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing to attack Ukraine while talks are ongoing between the two countries to find an end to the ongoing conflict.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 May 2025
Verb
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As a team, the Celtics shot 4-for-20 from deep and were manhandled on the boards, with New York owning a 32-18 rebounding edge at halftime.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
17 May 2025
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Winning on the margins must replace manhandling inferior opponents, perhaps why base runners who rarely showed any aggression are now hunting an extra 90 feet with every ball put in play.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Rough (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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