1
as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound
she had a gruff speaking voice, but a surprisingly sweet singing voice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stern
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
I didn't exchange one word with the gruff mountaineer who sat next to me in the diner
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gruff
He is joined by a full cast of voice actors who portray his characters—the puckish preteen Lyra Belacqua, the mysterious explorer Lord Asriel, the gruff polar bear Iorek Byrnison.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 24 July 2025
Bill Pogue’s family and friends knew him as a thoughtful, deeply sensitive man, despite his reputation as a gruff, stern, wildlife officer.
—Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 17 July 2025
Who leaves us echoes — gruff, brilliant, unrepeatable — half legend, half lullaby.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 11 July 2025
Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away?
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gruff
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 24 July 2025
Bill Pogue’s family and friends knew him as a thoughtful, deeply sensitive man, despite his reputation as a gruff, stern, wildlife officer.
—Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 17 July 2025
Who leaves us echoes — gruff, brilliant, unrepeatable — half legend, half lullaby.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 11 July 2025
Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away?
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gruff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruff
Adjective
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For most of his first 10 songs, Costello’s singing was ragged and hoarse.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Screamed himself hoarse and still tried calling for his brother.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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Amid the Yankees' slump, Boone's leadership, managing style and willingness to be stern with players have all been questioned.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
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The witness said Berrios was stern about handling the situation with Torres by herself.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The exception may be the size of the potato gnocchi, husky rectangles of creamy potato dumplings in a lemon butter sauce, circling jumbo lump crab morsels dappled with chives.—
Beth D'Addono,
Southern Living,
4 Aug. 2025
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Hank’s son Bobby is no longer a husky middle-schooler, but a 21-year-old running his own Japanese-German fusion restaurant in Dallas, for instance.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Nonetheless, the show’s premiere provides the perfect moment to map out the slimy, menacing world of Ellen Ripley and company in their epic battle against one of the galaxy’s fiercest creatures.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
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On a subsequent rally, Kaylee smacked a fierce shot past me, scoring her team a point.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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With all due respect to the pressures of making an unconventional sci-fi film on a tight budget, using ecologically destructive technology for a story of ecological devastation, in which clean water is an increasingly rare resource, adds an unintentionally grim layer of irony to the tale.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
11 Aug. 2025
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Marathon’s rollout has been somewhat grim, with initial flashy trailers years earlier giving way to underperforming gameplay previews and a very unfinished, public Alpha that created intensely negative vibes around the project.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The 2025 Subaru Outback is an adventure-ready SUV Subaru's SUV models like the Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback are known for their rugged exteriors and off-roading potential.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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Fleece merges a rugged sophistication with everyday staples.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This season, the idea of him sharing the new ball with Lockie Ferguson could form one of the most intimidating pace duos in the competition.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
9 Aug. 2025
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Compared to most of their fellow National League contenders, the Cubs' rotation isn't very intimidating on paper.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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This breach demonstrates that hostile players can target individuals within organizations, not just organizations themselves.—
Phillimon Zongo,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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That information enables commanders to launch defensive or offensive strikes in seconds, whether intercepting an incoming cruise missile, engaging hostile aircraft, or directing Tomahawk missiles at land targets hundreds of miles away.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gruff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruff. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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