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
Broader rugged portfolio The launch expands Spectra’s growing lineup of rugged edge computing products aimed at platforms with strict size, weight, and power limits.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 June 2026
Matt Savoie played the entire NHL season, Ike Howard and Josh Samanski played in over 20 games, and the team picked up a rugged winger in rookie Colton Dach at the deadline.
—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
The history of Welsh food is deeply tied to the country’s rugged mountainous terrain—think hearty ingredients that could withstand the rainy weather like root vegetables and salted meats.
—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
For anyone venturing off-the-grid or out deep in nature, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a top contender as a rugged, adventure-suitable wearable.
—
Cierra Cowan,
PC Magazine,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 June 2026
Matt Savoie played the entire NHL season, Ike Howard and Josh Samanski played in over 20 games, and the team picked up a rugged winger in rookie Colton Dach at the deadline.
—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
The history of Welsh food is deeply tied to the country’s rugged mountainous terrain—think hearty ingredients that could withstand the rainy weather like root vegetables and salted meats.
—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
For anyone venturing off-the-grid or out deep in nature, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a top contender as a rugged, adventure-suitable wearable.
—
Cierra Cowan,
PC Magazine,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rugged
Adjective
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
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While linen and silk are light and airy, some occasions call for a sturdier yet equally breathable option.
Adjective
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Summer 2026 is having a tough time deciding on this season’s dominating nail trend.
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These are typically low-wage jobs that the healthcare industry writ large has had a tough time recruiting for since the pandemic.
Adjective
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Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
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But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
Adjective
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Its muscular composite and Kevlar exterior is finished in a glossy, factory-correct shade of Rosso Corsa, though the car did spend a few years, toward the beginning of its life, painted silver, according to the listing.
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Lagree’s Megaformer, introduced in the early 2000s, has two sliding platforms and was built for higher-intensity work that develops muscular endurance.
Adjective
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Located in Florina, in northwestern Greece, the region lies on a high plateau ringed by jagged peaks, with freshwater lakes below.
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An important entry to the New Queer Cinema canon, Kar-wai’s drama is passionate, moody, and deeply evocative, tracing the jagged edges of an on-again, off-again romance in seedy 1990s Buenos Aires.
Adjective
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Aviation experts said those conditions would have been difficult to navigate that evening when the helicopter, a Robinson R66, crashed in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area.
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But traffic on the waterway remains a fraction of pre-war levels with different authorities vying to organize the transit of vessels, leaving operators with a difficult choice over which path to take.
Adjective
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Directed by Guadagnino from a screenplay by Saturday Night Live alum Simon Rich, Artificial explores Sam Altman’s OpenAI and the company’s turbulent period in 2023 when he was fired and rehired in a matter of days.
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The trauma of a turbulent household had aged her beyond her years.
Adjective
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Like a more crass, animated Seinfeld, Rocko deals with the mundanities and absurdities of daily life.
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With the games having kicked off, the sport has shown its ineffable power to supplant crass and capitalistic overreach.
Cite this Entry
“Rugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rugged. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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