roughing (up)

verb

Definition of roughing (up)next
present participle of rough (up)
1
as in licking
to strike repeatedly she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in abusing
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughing (up)
  1. licking
  2. pounding
  3. attacking
  4. hiding
  5. lashing
  6. mishandling
  7. whipping
  8. doing
Verb
  • Robinson again warns her off, firmly telling her no, but Bella continues whimpering, stamping her feet, and—for good measure—licking her lips.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Refrain from licking, picking or biting your lips.
    Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Definition of licking
Verb
  • But, that reality doesn’t stop the evangelists from pounding their chests and boldly declaring that everything from babies to Roombas should be put on chain.
    Jordan Yallen, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Hike through thrilling jungle terrain, explore a breathtaking network of underground caverns, and rappel down a stunning waterfall with a heart-pounding descent into the Belizean rainforest.
    Patricia Johnson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
Definition of pounding
Verb
  • The moves sparked a wave of opprobrium from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which accused Israel of attacking Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
  • It was inspired by the Central Park Five, the name given to the Black and Latino teen-agers who in 1989 were wrongly accused of attacking and raping a white woman in Central Park.
    Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of attacking
Verb
  • Your top performers have figured out a secret that's hiding in plain sight.
    B.D. Dalton, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The Sanctuary follows Hunter, an eccentric American billionaire hiding in New Zealand.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Loyal listeners were sorely disappointed, lashing out at Spotify with memes and mockery.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Anxiously attached individuals may react by lashing out or masking fears with overly positive behaviors, reflecting their struggle between seeking connection and fearing rejection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • Texas District Attorney Paul Robbins told reporters his office is looking into possible additional charges, including the desecration and mishandling of a corpse as well as other charges related to tampering with the scene of a crime.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
  • The teacher’s union, which buoyed the mayor to power in 2023, has criticized the CEO’s mishandling of the closures of several charter schools in recent weeks.
    Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2024
Definition of mishandling
Verb
  • Sick of whipping out a hair dryer, round brush, and a straightener to achieve a frizz-free blowout?
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
  • With gusts of up to 80 mph possible, a small fire could transform into an inferno, whipping embers at astonishing speeds and leaving firefighters with few options other than trying to get people to evacuate.
    Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • The installation and monthly fees related to those alarm systems are also deductible as part of the cost of doing business on those types of properties.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • But the third nominee, Robin Williams, still got on stage at the insistence of Nicholson and ended up doing a spot-on imitation of him.
    Jenelle Riley, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of doing
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near roughing (up)

roughing it

roughing (up)

rough it

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Cite this Entry

“Roughing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughing%20%28up%29. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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