roughen

verb

rough·​en ˈrə-fən How to pronounce roughen (audio)
roughened; roughening ˈrə-fə-niŋ How to pronounce roughen (audio)
ˈrəf-niŋ

transitive verb

: to make rough or rougher
her hands were roughened by workEllen Glasgow

intransitive verb

: to become rough

Examples of roughen in a Sentence

Roughen the surface with a file before you apply the glue. Her hands were roughened by years of hard work. Age caused his skin to roughen.
Recent Examples on the Web Test sample: Low-carbon steel joined to form a T. Surface and end roughened by grinding with 60-grit abrasive. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 4 Aug. 2023 To try to remedy the situation, workers dragged tires and scrubbed the slick surface to try to roughen it up a bit. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Apr. 2022 The optional mirror-bright 20-inch wheels look great but roughen the ride. Dan Neil, WSJ, 3 Feb. 2022 That can roughen up the cuticle, which leads to tangles, frizz, and then breakage. Sable Yong, Allure, 29 Dec. 2021 Fisher has recruited sturdily in his four seasons at A&M, but that road will roughen in the state with UT and OU joining the mighty football conference, one that has led the nation in NFL draft picks for 15 consecutive years. Brent Zwerneman, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Sep. 2021 This will roughen up the paneling’s glossy surface, so the primer will adhere better. Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 18 Dec. 2020 Prine sang his conversational lyrics in a voice roughened by a hard-luck life, particularly after throat cancer left him with a disfigured jaw. NBC News, 8 Apr. 2020 Winner of a lifetime achievement Grammy earlier this year, Prine sang his conversational lyrics in a voice roughened by a difficult life, particularly after throat cancer left him with a disfigured jaw. CBS News, 8 Apr. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'roughen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of roughen was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near roughen

Cite this Entry

“Roughen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roughen. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

roughen

verb
rough·​en ˈrəf-ən How to pronounce roughen (audio)
roughened; roughening -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce roughen (audio)
: to make or become rough
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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