gruff

1 of 2

adjective

ˈgrəf 

1

: rough, brusque, or stern in manner, speech, or aspect

a gruff reply

2

: being deep and harsh : hoarse

a gruff voice

gruffly adverb

gruffness noun

gruff

2 of 2

verb

gruffed; gruffing; gruffs

transitive verb

: to utter in a gruff voice or manner

"Get out of bed now!" gruffed the sergeant.

Synonyms of gruff

Adjective

• hoarse
• husky

Choose the Right Synonym for gruff

bluff, blunt, brusque, curt, crusty, gruff mean abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner.

bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose

Examples of gruff in a Sentence

Adjective

Don't be fooled by his gruff manner—he's really very kind.

He spoke in a gruff voice.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Bob Hoskins’s gruff detective, Eddie Valiant, sees them as a sometimes-dangerous nuisance, while conniving film-studio power players see them as moneymakers, and the rest of humanity sees them as shades in between. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Scott, 88, shares the character's worldview, despite the filmmaker’s notoriously gruff exterior. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Cullen’s Optimus Prime could be gruff or fierce, but there was something stoic and always kind under the surface. — Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026

Fabares and Nelson played TV news anchor Christine Armstrong and Hayden Fox, a gruff football coach, respectively, on the ABC sitcom Coach for nine years from 1989-to 1997. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Dutch grof; akin to Old High German grob coarse, hruf scurf — more at dandruff

Verb

derivative of gruff entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1706, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gruff

• buff
• cuff
• duff
• fluff
• hough
• huff
• luff
• muff
• puff
• rough
• ruff
• scruff

Kids Definition

gruff

adjective

ˈgrəf

1

: rough or stern in manner, speech, or look

a gruff reply

2

: being deep and harsh : hoarse

a gruff voice

gruffly adverb

gruffness noun