GRUFFLY Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

gruffly

adverb

Definition of gruffly

as in brusquely

Related Words

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Dissimilar Words

as in grimly

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gruffly Rose’s relationship with her father, too, is unusual in its unresolved jaggedness, while Sisto’s gruffly on-edge performance points to a deeper well of adult pain in Wes that his daughter cannot yet manage or comprehend. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 June 2026 Chief among the familiar faces is Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the stoic, gruffly professional explosives-disposal expert Major Will Tranter, who shows up at a construction site in the heart of London where an unexploded, 1,000-pound WWII bomb has just been found. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruffly

Adverb

Yet, White House officials told me, Biden sometimes brusquely dismissed the views of both men, raising his voice as though berating children.

— David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
In some instances, judges brusquely threw cases out of court after prosecutors walked in with little evidence.

— Brian Rokos, Daily News, 7 May 2026

Definition of brusquely

Adverb

In the wake of the disaster, the survivors' roles are reversed in grimly funny ways.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026
Tuchel’s approach might, at least, be grimly appropriate for a tournament whose organizers would surely like everyone to focus on the action, and ignore the stench of corruption and xenophobia in the air.

— Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 18 June 2026

Definition of grimly

Adverb

Juliette later makes a stop to see Shirley, who is still being unreasonably pouty about her amnesiac friend not remembering her — and is, again, curtly dismissive of Juliette’s search for Lukas.

— Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 July 2026
But Ruben curtly responds that the only real homophobe is Niall himself.

— Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026

Definition of curtly

Adverb

Another season-ticket holder from that first year remembered crowds being firmly in the 5,500 range.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
The decision to leave an underperforming third-party logistics provider (3PL) is usually simple enough, but contract termination fees, system integrations and inventory transfer expenses stand firmly in the way.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 July 2026

Definition of firmly

Adverb

Even a deep black pencil can feel softer and more natural because the pigment doesn’t sit as sharply on top of the skin.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
Oil prices have surged more than 30% this month as fighting in the Middle East sharply escalates.

— Spencer Kimball,Chloe Taylor,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 23 July 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

That so many teams were capable of winning races showed how well the crews performed, especially considering the breeze was again blowing strongly across the Solent, around 17 knots and sometimes gusting over 20.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Star first baseman Bryce Harper has strongly advocated for aggressive trade deadline moves, suggesting the team acquire expensive veterans.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

Definition of strongly

Adverb

After spending months negotiating a pricey purchase of the private fuel yard that keeps PortMiami ships running, two top deputies to Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava were shocked when their boss abruptly rejected the deal.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 28 July 2026
Video footage obtained by PEOPLE shows the scary moment the slingshot-style ride malfunctioned as one of the wires that attaches to the car appears to abruptly snap off.

— Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026

Definition of abruptly

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gruff

gruffly

gruffness

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“Gruffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruffly. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of gruffly

adverb

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