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gruffly

adverb

Definition of grufflynext
1
as in brusquely

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Dissimilar Words
2
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
  1. brusquely
  2. grimly
  3. curtly
  4. firmly
  5. sharply
  6. strongly
  7. abruptly
  8. determinedly
Adverb
  • Léo’s tenderly nostalgic reminiscences of past love affairs are slapped down by Emma, who brusquely dismisses his pleasant recollections as mere male projection.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of brusquely
Adverb
  • The flooding in Nepal is yet another calamity for a country grimly accustomed to crisis and upheaval.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Gun purchases made in response to events have been shown, grimly, to lead to still more accidental gun deaths.
    — Vishal R. Patel, Time, 9 Aug. 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
  • Susan and Robert are finally together, or at least moving firmly in that direction.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The phone is made from the same high-quality materials as its Pro iPhones—titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, and Apple's Ceramic Shield—and assembled as tightly and firmly as anything Apple makes.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • Prices have surged more than 20% this month as fighting has sharply escalated in the Persian Gulf.
    — Spencer Kimball,Justina Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The national average for regular gasoline has risen sharply over the past week, while California prices have climbed back to about $6 per gallon, according to AAA.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of sharply
Adverb
  • Green also strongly believes Gabriel can lead them to where Erica’s body is buried.
    — Yana Johnson, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Ultimately, how successful an AI initiative is at a community hospital strongly depends on how disciplined the implementation is.
    — Christine Schuster, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Season five ended abruptly after a video leaked of Taylor Frankie Paul throwing a stool at her ex Dakota Mortensen and almost hitting her daughter.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In July 2025, however, Bar K closed abruptly and, one month later, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in federal court.
    — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of abruptly
Adverb
  • Poor Frank and Kirsten look on confused, determinedly polite in their insistence that all family members should be welcome.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • The few street names in Happy Haven were determinedly upbeat, with Christian undertones.
    — Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Definition of determinedly

Browse Nearby Words

gruff
gruffly
gruffness
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Cite this Entry

“Gruffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruffly. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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