as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a demanding and ungentle land that was not for the fainthearted
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Recent Examples of ungentle
But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times.
—
Stephanie Stradley, Houston Chronicle, 25 Sep. 2020
Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020
Stephanie Stradley, Houston Chronicle, 25 Sep. 2020
Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungentle
Adjective
-
With a deep, gruff voice and animus toward humanity, McCarthy was an unusual dance-music star when Nitzer Ebb started notching chart hits.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2025
-
Two months ago, the world lost a gruff and burly guitar player named Al Barile.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
As the bow and stern sections tore free from one another, the ship’s contents were ejected and rained down across the ocean floor, dispersing everything from luggage and dinnerware to engine parts and personal belongings.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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The affable Carroll was the polar opposite of the stern hard-driving Parcells.—
Tribune Content Agency,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
Robert Shapiro, the first member and initial chair of OJ Simpson's defense team, gave a grim prediction regarding Diddy's potential sentence.—
Lauryn Overhultz , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
8 July 2025
-
The Rockies are headed down that grim path — full speed ahead to baseball’s worst-ever record.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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With so many players in the game, the competition is simultaneously fierce and toothless.—
Todd Fisher,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
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Winds, too, were fierce, gusting up to 70 mph at the lakefront, according to the National Weather Service.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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In Kansas City, the brand-new Museum of BBQ showcases how this quintessential American cuisine is made. Road Cruise Take a road cruise along a captivating northeast loop that’s filled with urban attractions, rugged coasts and gorgeous mountains.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Pictured above is Indonesia’s mountainous Halmahera rainforest, featuring rugged topography shaped by outpourings from the numerous volcanoes that pockmark the region.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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The foundations themselves are also focused on education to make clinical trials less intimidating.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
-
Catcher Caden Bodine, a top-round prospect, leads Coastal Carolina’s balanced and intimidating lineup.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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Guzman’s book was used as a common reader by several universities in 2024, reflecting ongoing concerns about the often hostile, partisan gaps that have roiled many campuses in recent years.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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In the five years since the events of Jurassic World Dominion, many of the dinosaurs and other formerly extinct creatures that were set free into the world have died off, unable to survive in the modern climate and otherwise hostile environments.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Climate change is intensifying the global water cycle, leading to more frequent and severe flooding and drought.—
Claire Poole,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
And damage to roofs and interior contents is typically only covered if caused by high-speed winds during hurricanes, tornadoes or other severe weather.—
Ron Hurtibise,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungentle. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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