rough-and-tum·ble
ˌrə-fən-ˈtəm-bəl 
: rough disorderly unrestrained fighting or struggling
also
: infighting
1
: marked by rough-and-tumble
… grew up in a rough-and-tumble atmosphere …—
E. J. Kahn, Jr.
E. J. Kahn, Jr.
also
: rough-and-ready
2
: put together haphazardly : makeshift
a rough-and-tumble fence
Examples of rough-and-tumble in a Sentence
Noun
a rough-and-tumble broke out among the fans in the stands
Adjective
the announcement of his candidacy was made from a rough-and-tumble stage put together just that morning
Recent Examples on the Web
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
While Zip's was once a rough-and-tumble bar known for gambling and cheap beer, the cafe is now more family-friendly.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Stephen Groves, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
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Noun
Taken in the second round of a 1968 Dodgers draft haul considered by many the most talented in baseball history, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Lopes rose from a rough-and-tumble Rhode Island upbringing to become the team’s everyday second baseman and leadoff batter.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
While Zip's was once a rough-and-tumble bar known for gambling and cheap beer, the cafe is now more family-friendly.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The trappings of the Senate were another world from Mr. Abourezk’s rough-and-tumble childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, where his Lebanese parents had immigrated and ran a general store.
—Stephen Groves, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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