rough-hewn

1 of 2

adjective

ˈrəf-ˈhyün 

1

: being in a rough, unsmoothed, or unfinished state : crudely formed

rough-hewn beams

2

: lacking refinement

… charming in a rough-hewn kind of way.

—Timothy Ferris

rough-hewn

2 of 2

past participle of rough-hew

Synonyms of rough-hewn

Adjective

• clumsy
• rough
• crude
• rude
• rough-and-ready
• primitive
• flawed
• rough-and-tumble
• imperfect
• artless

Examples of rough-hewn in a Sentence

Adjective

a survivalist living in a rough-hewn shelter in the wilderness

a rough-hewn kid who had to learn how to behave properly in polite company

rough-hewn military cadets feeling a little self-conscious at their first formal dance

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Lionized by Belle and Sebastian in the ’90s, the Scottish duo of Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton have evolved from rough-hewn folkies who dabbled in dance music to dance musicians who dabble in folk over their 30-year history. — David Harris, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026

The outdoor cinema is wrapped by a rough-hewn Brutalist perimeter—half-lined with concrete cubes, the other half enclosed with planks salvaged from the boardwalk destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026

Clearly influenced by Berger, Yoon develops the idea London introduced with only rough-hewn melodrama over a century before, that a precocious enough dog might offer a unique window onto human character. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

The refined contemporary interiors are punctuated throughout with terrazzo floors, warm wood paneling, and rough-hewn stone pillars. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 4 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rough-hewn

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

Kids Definition

rough-hewn

adjective

ˈrəf-ˈhyün

1

: being rough or unfinished

rough-hewn beams

2

: lacking smooth manners or social grace