1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
a rugged construction that survived for hundreds of years
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2
as in tough
difficult to endure
the incredibly rugged conditions that the polar explorers faced
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3
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the warrior's rugged features frightened the child
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4
as in muscular
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force
a rugged athlete who's competing in weight lifting in the Olympics
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5
as in jagged
not having a level or smooth surface
rugged terrain that made for slow going
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6
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
even more rugged than most ultramarathons, this one crosses a desert
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7
as in turbulent
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
New Hampshire's Mount Washington has some of the ruggedest weather in all of North America
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8
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste
the kind of rugged humor that men have traditionally enjoyed at stag parties
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rugged
Photo : Hugo Allard Stone accents ground the home in the rugged landscape.
—
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2025
Mojave National Preserve Peak season: Mid-February to mid-May Mojave National Preserve is a vast, otherworldly expanse tucked between Interstates 15 and 40 in Southern California, where sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, Joshua tree forests, and rugged mountains collide in one surreal landscape.
—Deb Hopewell, AFAR Media, 24 Mar. 2025
Ideal for those who want to explore a city on foot or venture into more rugged terrain, the Arahi 7 promises comfort no matter your pace.
—Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2025
The ad campaign shows pizza on a beach, pizza in a rugged Utah stonescape, and pizza in an untrammeled field of snow.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2025
Mojave National Preserve Peak season: Mid-February to mid-May Mojave National Preserve is a vast, otherworldly expanse tucked between Interstates 15 and 40 in Southern California, where sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, Joshua tree forests, and rugged mountains collide in one surreal landscape.
—Deb Hopewell, AFAR Media, 24 Mar. 2025
Ideal for those who want to explore a city on foot or venture into more rugged terrain, the Arahi 7 promises comfort no matter your pace.
—Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2025
The ad campaign shows pizza on a beach, pizza in a rugged Utah stonescape, and pizza in an untrammeled field of snow.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rugged
Adjective
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It’s built from a sturdy metal base with a solid wood and plywood frame and has a swivel design that rotates 360 degrees.—
Megan Schaltegger,
People.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
In addition to the missing sturdy bollards, which were under repair, the city’s portable steel barriers were in the down position during New Year’s celebrations, CNN previously reported.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But, then, the Warriors aren’t the only tough out in an overloaded Western Conference.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2025
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But the Lotus ladies will have some tough competition, including seven-time winner Allison Janney, two-time winner Patricia Arquette, and potential double nominee Kaitlyn Dever.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This was the puzzle: The Torch and the Treasure A Bridge Puzzle of Strategy, Speed... and Stolen Gold Five daring fantasy thieves—a nimble Elf, a sneaky Goblin, a fleet-footed Satyr, a gruff Dwarf, and a hulking Troll—have just pulled off the heist of the century.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Could this gruff old man playing mahjong in a nondescript hall be a curious gambler on the last boat up the Mekong, laughing in the face of Edward’s existential crisis?—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Left behind by the president’s muscular new approach are thousands of women and children – some of them American citizens – who now face the loss of family and faith in the promise of a better life in the United States.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
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Young children who previously would have been condemned to certain death at the hands of a rare disease, such as severe spinal muscular atrophy, now have a chance at life.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The result of billions of years of micrometeorite impacts on the lunar surface and lack of water on the Moon has left this dust with jagged, razor-sharp shapes and the constant bombardment by cosmic rays has given each particle an electrostatic charge.—
David Szondy,
New Atlas,
1 Apr. 2025
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Rescue workers in other parts of the country dug through piles of twisted rebar and jagged concrete where buildings had been destroyed.—
Sui-Lee Wee,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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There are very big match-ups being played week in and week out in what is one of the most difficult leagues to play in on the planet, this means the big contenders will drop points more often than in some other leagues.—
Joseph O'Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Generations of design successors have insisted that pie charts are difficult to read and even amount to optical informatic illusions, but we are still stuck with them.—
Mara Mills,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The court’s decision marks the end of what has been a turbulent presidency.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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From playing a spirited college student in All American: Homecoming to navigating the turbulent world of Snowfall, Williams has mastered the art of transformation.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Trump sued Maher in 2013 for $5 million after Maher made a crass joke about Trump’s mother and an orangutan.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
31 Mar. 2025
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He’s been accused of misogyny, thanks to his occasionally crass and combative online takes.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rugged. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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