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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
  • Variety takes a look at how 10 companies are taming the AI beast with specific use cases that creatives can get behind in a way that keeps them firmly in control and respects copyrights.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Throughout DeSantis’ time in office, Florida itself has changed, shifting from a competitive battleground state to one that is now firmly Republican.
    — Zoe Millán, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • Research into psychedelics for depression, PTSD, end-of-life care, and anxiety has exploded, and overall recreational usage has risen sharply.
    — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
  • While the national average cost of regular gasoline has risen sharply over the past week, California prices have surpassed $6 per gallon, according to AAA.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of sharply
Adverb
  • Much of the general public, however, hasn’t caught up to these developments, which remain strongly discouraged and criticized by the abstinence support group space — especially proponents of AA.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The afflicted can feel very strongly about them, strongly believe them, even though there is no convincing reason for holding that thought.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Bonta abruptly canceled a negotiation session with Paramount in late August after potential deal terms leaked.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • All anybody in New York can talk about this morning—from the water cooler to the group chats—is how abruptly summer ended and fall announced itself.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of abruptly
Adverb
  • Blue-collar Ho-seok (Sul), a man traumatized by losing his factory job after a workers’ strike, lives a quiet life with his determinedly optimistic wife, Mi-ok (Jeon).
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 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 25 Sep. 2026.

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