1
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a survivalist living in a rough-hewn shelter in the wilderness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste
a rough-hewn kid who had to learn how to behave properly in polite company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
rough-hewn military cadets feeling a little self-conscious at their first formal dance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rough-hewn
Welles gets Dylan comparisons all the time owing to his rough-hewn vocal grain, the harmonica propped up around his face like orthodontic headgear, and a young Bob being the average person’s main reference point for wordy folk music with a bent toward social commentary.
—
Jack Denton, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
In December of 2024, our sister site Deadline reported that the series’ leads — Kelly Reilly, who plays badass Beth Dutton, and Cole Hauser, who is Beth’s husband, rough-hewn Rip Wheeler — had struck deals to reprise their roles in a new spinoff.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 14 Feb. 2025
The tunnel’s entrances, designed by Snøhetta, will feature rough-hewn rock walls, walkways, and a road bridge to blend with the natural landscape and provide scenic viewpoints, potentially boosting local tourism too.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
The new, rough-hewn, working-class actors like Albert Finney, Alan Bates and Anthony Hopkins were her peers.
—Pan Pylas, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough-hewn
Jack Denton, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
In December of 2024, our sister site Deadline reported that the series’ leads — Kelly Reilly, who plays badass Beth Dutton, and Cole Hauser, who is Beth’s husband, rough-hewn Rip Wheeler — had struck deals to reprise their roles in a new spinoff.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 14 Feb. 2025
The tunnel’s entrances, designed by Snøhetta, will feature rough-hewn rock walls, walkways, and a road bridge to blend with the natural landscape and provide scenic viewpoints, potentially boosting local tourism too.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
The new, rough-hewn, working-class actors like Albert Finney, Alan Bates and Anthony Hopkins were her peers.
—Pan Pylas, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough-hewn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-hewn
Adjective
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Raw also advertised Bayley challenging Lyra Valkyria for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship, Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio and the world’s most clumsy GM Adam Pearce making his next fumble of the worst storyline going this WrestleMania season between Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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This is why the Trump administration’s DOGE exercise — while clumsy at times — is such an important endeavor despite Democratic efforts to discredit it.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Those other countries don’t seem to have the same proportion of crass blowhards in their political structure as the U.S.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2025
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Slipshod, crass, and sick, these jokes, dialling in from abroad and at home, were distinct from the humor that had followed other U.S. catastrophes.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Because that bigger picture is a murky, uncomfortable state.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
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Not only is this uncomfortable, but scratching (which is hard to resist) can increase the risk of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation.—
Sierra Leone Starks,
Allure,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His season started on a rough note in Australia, where a late mistake on the wet track sent him sliding off, struggling to recover and tumbling down the order.—
Kanzah Maktoum,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Two paratroopers were injured after a rough landing that was caught on video at a baseball game in Arizona.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Europeans were enchanted by the expressive fluency that the New York critics had considered vulgar.—
David Denby,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
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The chief spoke at the LAPD’s Police Commission weekly meeting Tuesday, a day after news broke that officers from the department’s recruitment and employment division had been unknowingly recorded making vulgar comments, including while talking about police applicants.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, some attendees at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, started to feel uneasy.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The spill killed 11 people and injured 17 others as 210 million gallons of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico (recently renamed by the U.S. government as Gulf of America) for a total of 87 days.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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But recently the price of Russian crude oil, called Urals, has dipped close to $50 per barrel.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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My question: Was there any way to have prevented this rude woman from stealing away all of my guests? GENTLE READER: Counter-questions: Did the boss and his wife drop the guests off before the emergency furniture move?—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2025
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Really, any movie exceeding 100 minutes in this genre is just plain rude.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rough-hewn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-hewn. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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