rough

1 of 4

adjective

ˈrəf 

rougher; roughest

1

a

: marked by inequalities, ridges, or projections on the surface : coarse

b

: covered with or made up of coarse and often shaggy hair

rough-coated collie

compare smooth, wirehaired

c(1)

: having a broken, uneven, or bumpy surface

rough terrain

(2)

: difficult to travel through or penetrate : wild

into the rough woods

—P. B. Shelley

2

a

: turbulent, tempestuous

rough seas

b(1)

: characterized by harshness, violence, or force

(2)

: presenting a challenge : difficult

rough to deal with

—R. M. McAlmon

3

: coarse or rugged in character or appearance: such as

a

: harsh to the ear

b

: crude in style or expression

c

: indelicate

d

: marked by a lack of refinement or grace : uncouth

4

a

: crude, unfinished

rough carpentry

b

: executed or ventured hastily, tentatively, or imperfectly

a rough draft

rough estimate

also : approximate

a rough idea

roughish

ˈrə-fish 

adjective

roughness

ˈrəf-nəs 

noun

rough

2 of 4

adverb

1

: roughly sense 1

2

British : without usual conveniences

especially : without proper shelter

become homeless and have to sleep rough

—London Times

rough

3 of 4

noun

1

: uneven ground covered with high grass, brush, and stones

specifically : such ground bordering a golf fairway

2

: the rugged or disagreeable side or aspect

hiking-camping admirers of nature in the rough

—Eleanor Stirling

3

a

: something in a crude, unfinished, or preliminary state

b

: broad outline : general terms

the question … has been discussed in rough

—Manchester Guardian Weekly

c

: a hasty preliminary drawing or layout

4

: rowdy

rough

4 of 4

verb

roughed; roughing; roughs

transitive verb

1

: roughen

2

a

: to subject to abuse : manhandle, beat

—usually used with up

b

: to subject to unnecessary and intentional violence in a sport

a penalty for roughing the passer

c

: shell sense 3

—used with up

was roughed up for six runs

3

: to calk or otherwise roughen (a horse's shoes) to prevent slipping

4

a

: to shape, make, or dress in a rough or preliminary way

b

: to indicate the chief lines of

rough out the structure of a building

rougher noun

Phrases

rough it

: to live under harsh or primitive conditions

Synonyms

Adjective

• uneven
• jagged
• rugged
• broken

Verb

• lick
• hide
• pound
• lash
• beat
• mess (up)
• assault
• whip
• do
• batter
• attack
• pelt
• slap
• knock
• hit
• punch out
• punch

Choose the Right Synonym for rough

rough, harsh, uneven, rugged, scabrous mean not smooth or even.

rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.

a rough wooden board

harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.

a harsh fabric that chafes the skin

uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.

an old house with uneven floors

rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.

a rugged landscape

scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.

a scabrous leaf

synonyms see in addition rude

Examples of rough in a Sentence

Adjective

He trimmed the rough edge of the paper.

We traveled over rough dirt roads.

They hiked through rough terrain.

We were a bit shaken from the plane's rough landing.

He went through a rough patch after his divorce.

They've hit a few rough spots in their marriage.

Despite a rough start, the team won more games this season than last.

Adverb

The engine is running a little rough.

Life has been treating her pretty rough.

He plays rough with the dog.

people living rough on the streets

Noun

He hit his drive into the rough.

He showed me a few roughs of the new building.

Verb

He was called for roughing the kicker.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But after a rough 2023 campaign and a Tommy John surgery that kept him out of action from February of last year until June of this past summer, things didn't go according to plan. —Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025

Don’t let the record fool you – Timber Creek is a competitive opponent that has faced a rough schedule. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025

Adverb

In the meantime, though, a new character is introduced, a rough-looking butcher with a motorbike and sidecar whose presence Andor’s mother seems to resent and accept in bafflingly equal measures. —Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025

The term 'roughneck' conjures up images of rough-looking, greasy oilfield workers, sort of an iconic visual depiction, like those of cowboys of the old West. —Matt Randolph, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025

Noun

On Thursday, after a wayward drive landed in the left rough on the par-4 eighth hole, Rahm’s mood soured. —Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

His opening drive found the primary rough, and his second shot landed in a hazard, forcing a drop, only to find the hazard again. —Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Verb

Fehérváry was assessed a double-minor for roughing, while Greig was only given a two-minute minor penalty for the same infraction. —Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025

The fiery coach was heard barking to referees after his quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat was blown up on a hit in the third quarter, which drew a roughing-the-passer penalty. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English rūh; akin to Old High German rūh rough, Lithuanian raukas wrinkle

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rough

• be rough on (someone)
• cut up rough
• diamond in the rough
• go through a rough time
• have a rough time (of it)
• have it rough
• in rough
• in the rough
• rough-and-ready
• rough-and-tumble
• rough bluegrass
• rough breathing
• rough cut
• rough diamond
• rough draft
• rough-dry
• rough-edged
• rough edges
• rough endoplasmic reticulum
• rough fish
• rough going
• rough-hew
• rough-hewn
• rough in
• rough it
• rough-legged buzzard
• rough-legged hawk
• rough lemon
• rough out
• rough paper
• rough parity
• rough stuff
• rough/tough going
• rough trade
• rough up
• take the rough with the smooth
• the rough

Rhymes for rough

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

Kids Definition

rough

1 of 4 adjective

ˈrəf 

1

a

: having an uneven surface : not smooth

b

: covered with or made up of coarse and often shaggy hair or bristles

a rough-coated terrier

2

a

: not calm

rough seas

b

: being harsh or violent

rough treatment

c

: difficult to take or deal with

we've had some rough times

3

a

: harsh to the ear

b

: coarse or rugged in nature or look

4

: not complete or exact

a rough draft

rough estimate

also : approximate entry 1

this will give you a rough idea of the house

roughish

ˈrəf-ish 

adjective

roughly adverb

roughness noun

rough

2 of 4 noun

1

: uneven ground covered with high grass, brush, and stones

2

: the rugged or unpleasant part of something

nature in the rough

3

: something in a crude or unfinished state

also : such a state

a diamond in the rough

rough

3 of 4 adverb

: in a rough way : not smoothly

the engine idled rough, but ran smoothly at high speed

rough

4 of 4 verb

1

: roughen

2

: to handle roughly : beat

roughed up by hoodlums

3

: to shape or make in a rough way

rough out a plan

Medical Definition

rough

adjective

ˈrəf 

: having a broken, uneven, or bumpy surface

specifically : forming or being rough colonies usually made up of organisms that form chains or filaments and tend to marked decrease in capsule formation and virulence

—used of dissociated strains of bacteria compare smooth