rough-and-ready

adjective

ˌrə-fən-ˈre-dē 

: crude in nature, method, or manner but effective in action or use

a rough-and-ready solution

Synonyms of rough-and-ready

• clumsy
• rough
• crude
• rude
• rough-and-tumble
• primitive
• rudimentary
• flawed
• imperfect

Examples of rough-and-ready in a Sentence

a rough-and-ready shack that the explorers threw together as winter approached

Recent Examples on the Web

Some showstopping pieces were sold at Vivienne Westwood’s London shop Seditionaries, which revolutionized a rough-and-ready pop-culture style that still resonates to this day. — Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Its Blue Armchair, on show at design exhibition Convey, is blocky and rigid with rough-and-ready industrial detailing. — Francesca Perry, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026

Since then, the 6ft 4in (193cm) Yorkshireman, released by Huddersfield Town as a youngster for being too small, had evolved from a rough-and-ready forward to become one of the lower leagues’ most reliable target men, with a reputation for delivering big goals at big moments. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026

James meets rough-and-ready cowboy Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) upon arrival in Fort Worth and joins his wagon train heading West. — Rendy Jones, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rough-and-ready

• already
• unsteady
• heady
• ready
• reddi
• steady
• teddy
• thready