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
The Old Man was short and gruff and had chin whiskers.
—
Robert Easton, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
Landon was also famous for his double act with Victor French who played the gruff outdoor-living Isaiah Edwards in Little House.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The new film from the husband-and-lesbian-wife duo Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke features Margaret Qualley playing gay (again) as the titular detective Honey, with Aubrey Plaza co-starring as a gruff cop who is the object of her affections.
—James Factora, Them., 21 Aug. 2025
And how would the famously gruff and businesslike Belichick work with nineteen-year-olds?
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gruff
Robert Easton, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
Landon was also famous for his double act with Victor French who played the gruff outdoor-living Isaiah Edwards in Little House.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The new film from the husband-and-lesbian-wife duo Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke features Margaret Qualley playing gay (again) as the titular detective Honey, with Aubrey Plaza co-starring as a gruff cop who is the object of her affections.
—James Factora, Them., 21 Aug. 2025
And how would the famously gruff and businesslike Belichick work with nineteen-year-olds?
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gruff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruff
Adjective
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When a reporter reached her by phone a week later, her voice sounded hoarse.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Give Palestine your voice, and when your voice goes hoarse, hang your flags, wear your keffiyeh.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Its 42-foot Torpedo RS is built with a more dramatic hourglass profile, enhanced by stylish stern winglets that deliver sharper turns and a drier ride in swells.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
26 Oct. 2025
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China conducted military exercises in Serbia in July despite stern warnings from the European Union, and Belgrade provides Beijing with a security foothold in Europe.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Athena, who was born in April, is a shepsky mix, half husky and half German shepherd.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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One of Lipa’s most significant attributes is the husky tone of her mezzo-soprano, lending a gritty roughness to her songs’ pop polish.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With its sadistic violence, taboo sexuality, and grim depiction of postwar London, Peeping Tom was a flop that essentially ended the illustrious career of director Michael Powell, falling into obscurity until Martin Scorsese rescued it and rehabilitated its reputation with a 1979 rerelease.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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In that sense, however, Farrell’s naturally grim demeanor fits right in.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Rutgers, meanwhile, has lost three in a row and now faces the unenviable task of attempting to strip down one of the most intimidating offenses in the nation.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Technology is as straightforward and as non-intimidating as any EV.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Elizabeth’s determination not to settle the succession gave rise to fierce rivalry between the claimants to the English throne, among them Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI; James’s cousin Arbella Stuart; Lady Katherine Grey and her descendants; and Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Yet plans to expand America’s lab-monkey stockpile have been met with fierce opposition.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX Trail Running Shoes While most hiking shoes have a more rugged, utilitarian look, these Hoka hikers lend more towards stylish.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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Hokkaido is known for its rugged natural beauty, cold winters and thriving agricultural and seafood industries.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Heading into a hostile environment at the Rogers Centre, the Dodgers must defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in Games 6 and 7 to clinch their second-straight World Series title.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Plot details are very hazy, but the word on the street is that the story centers on a ne’er-do-well smuggler who finds himself in the middle of a deadly double-cross while on a job in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in him surrounded by bodies, hostile mercenaries and thirsty sharks alike.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gruff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruff. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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