GRUFFLY Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

gruffly

adverb

Definition of gruffly

as in brusquely

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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

And while reusing first-stage rocket boosters (like the Super Heavy) is firmly within SpaceX’s wheelshouse, the company has never reused the upper stage of a rocket.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Norway’s elite 6-foot-5 goal scorer raced with some of the best in the battle for the Golden Boot in the tournament, given to the player with the most goals, and his performance in DFW put his name firmly on the world stage.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

Definition of firmly

Adverb

After the Women’s Health Initiative published its landmark findings in 2002, public and clinical attitudes toward hormone therapy shifted sharply, priming a generation of women to look for non-hormonal alternatives.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026
Both states sharply limit non-competes, and California bans most outright.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

Israeli defense officials warned Sunday that the country will hit back strongly if Iran attacks Israel.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
And because local equity markets performed so strongly, Israeli investors shifted long‑term investments back into shekel‑denominated assets, strengthening the currency.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 19 July 2026

Definition of strongly

Adverb

Back in January, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong abruptly torpedoed a bipartisan agreement and vote of the Senate Banking Committee Clarity bill.

— Cleve Mesidor, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
In Texas in 2023, Lilly Livingston, who has Down syndrome and is now 22, was abruptly cut off from Medicaid benefits, according to Livingston's mother, Marie.

— Rachana Pradhan, NPR, 20 July 2026

Definition of abruptly

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gruff

gruffly

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“Gruffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruffly. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of gruffly

adverb

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