roughen

verb

rough·​en ˈrə-fən 

roughened; roughening ˈrə-fə-niŋ 

ˈrəf-niŋ

transitive verb

: to make rough or rougher

… her hands were roughened by work …

—Ellen Glasgow

intransitive verb

: to become rough

Age caused his skin to roughen.

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

The meltemi, a northerly wind over the Aegean, can take the edge off a hot beach afternoon while roughening the sea enough to disrupt ferries. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

During the process, a bit of friction occurs roughening the surface of the line on a near-microscopic level. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026

This new rendition stars Hugh Jackman, who is no stranger to roughening up an established protagonist. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026

Her voice, now lowered and roughened by age, serves the material well, adding a grain that makes the track feel genuinely unsettled. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for roughen

• muffin
• toughen

Kids Definition

roughen

verb

rough·​en ˈrəf-ən 

roughened; roughening -(ə-)niŋ 

: to make or become rough