in the rough
phrase
chiefly US
: in an unfinished or rough state
He admired the beauty of nature in the rough.
Some of the turquoise is polished and some is in the rough.
Cite this Entry
“In the rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20rough. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
