in the rough

idiom

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.

Examples of in the rough in a Sentence

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Schauffele’s teammate, Patrick Cantlay, hit a wayward tee shot as well that left Schauffele in the rough. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025 Berry’s approach is informed very much by her own experiences coming up in the rough and tumble of investment banking. Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025 Developments stuck in the rough The strategy behind Trump’s golf ventures may very well be unrelated to his beloved sport. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025 Had Rory's ball been buried in the rough, adding an extra 5 to 10 minutes of play, Scheffler might not have been able to finish his round on Thursday. Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the rough

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“In the rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20rough. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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