as in horseplay
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
roughhousing was simply part of growing up in a family with four boys
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in wrestling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clowning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughhousing
Noun
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Key speeches are faithfully delivered to an audience of two, not thousands; a scene of soldiers destructively revelling on a bridge is given a different spirit by ironic, out-of-time horseplay.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025 -
And yes, there were cases on public roads where the horseplay turned dangerous.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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That’s an impressive feat given there was almost two hours without wrestling on a three-hour show.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
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Tonight's broadcast promises an exciting lineup of special guests, including John Cena, who will officially retire from wrestling this year, along with Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes, and Roman Reigns.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This makes the roughhouse ballet a satisfying bridge to the final scene in Roberta’s room, where their vulnerabilities are revealed.—
Peter Marks,
Washington Post,
14 Nov. 2023
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Weighing between eight and 10 pounds, these pooches are not ideal for young kids who tend to roughhouse.—
Country Living,
Country Living,
1 May 2023
Noun
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The tomfoolery that's going on in D.C., that's just regular everyday business to Black folks.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
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Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my commentary.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There are no gilded gates here, but there is one heck of a party, complete with serenading busts, ballroom dancers, excitable opera singers, drunken buffoonery and portraits locked in an endless duel.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
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What’s so special about Britain’s patron wanker of bighearted buffoonery?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The final moments of the 119-113 loss were stuffed with the slapstick goofiness expected from a Tuesday night matchup between two sub-500 teams.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2025
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Ani’s fight for their relationship, which turns literal at times, is alternately slapstick and touching.—
Scott Tobias,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Roughhousing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughhousing. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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