1
as in brusquely
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2
as in grimly
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Recent Examples of gruffly
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.
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Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruffly
Adverb
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In some instances, judges brusquely threw cases out of court after prosecutors walked in with little evidence.—
Brian Rokos,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
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The veil having been brusquely lifted from his eyes, Blair eventually left the service.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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The Olsen kiddos trying to close their front door to keep the sharks out is just as well-shot and grimly hilarious as Lisa readying to give birth as the floodwaters rise.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
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Innocence isn’t even about the recent past; statistically speaking, the grimly familiar scenes of mayhem might take place somewhere next week.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The Yangs were called in and curtly told the judgment was being overturned, their lawsuit dismissed without trial.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Nearly a decade later, both actors are firmly in A-list territory, balancing blockbuster franchises, fashion partnerships, and increasingly global careers.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
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Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te thanked his counterpart and Paraguay's government for speaking out for Taiwan and firmly supporting Taiwan's international participation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Adverb
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The verdict capped an 11-day trial where Derulo and Spatola offered sharply different accounts of how the song was created.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
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The closure of the Strait of Hormuz unleashed the biggest oil supply shock in history, sending energy prices sharply higher.—
Eleni Giokos,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Adverb
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In a Yale Youth poll from fall 2025, Ocasio-Cortez was strongly-backed by younger Democrats against the possible contenders.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Hims stock has often reacted strongly to any news that may affect its ability to sell weight loss drugs to consumers, which has been highly profitable for the telehealth company.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Adverb
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Someone must have forgotten to disconnect the screen after Spirit abruptly shut down on May 2nd, following the abandonment of a federal rescue effort.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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The impact forced an immediate emergency response as the aircraft’s departure was abruptly disrupted.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Adverb
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Wall Street has been determinedly upbeat about the war in Iran resolving in a relatively short window.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
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Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gruffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruffly. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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