as in sternness
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Recent Examples of gruffness
But then Popper smiled and the arrival of opening day momentarily mellowed his gruffness.
—
Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Mackay and Turner are both excellent, two movie stars who seem totally game to be asked to move with real gruffness.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Mackay and Turner are both excellent, two movie stars who seem totally game to be asked to move with real gruffness.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruffness
Noun
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Patino’s charisma counterbalances the sternness of Huertas’ part.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
19 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But now, he will be sidelined as the Royals look to determine the severity of the injury.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
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The bear was approximately 17 months old, and in the 70-pound range, Collins said, explaining the severity of the situation.—
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Noun
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There is no lag to anticipate and no visual harshness pulling attention away from the music.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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The alcohol is well integrated, offering warmth and grip without harshness, while the finishing casks lend a glycerin-like texture that makes the whiskey feel dense and layered.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Noun
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This one would stop hostilities between the countries and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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An immediate halt in hostilities across the region, including the strike between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, is also part of the pact.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Less than a minute later, Kerr found a new level of vehemence after the Clippers’ John Collins wasn’t called for goaltending on a shot by Gary Payton II.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Dudamel and the orchestra delivered the score with absolute conviction and an almost punishing vehemence.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But the Canes are built in the image of Brind’Amour, playing with a suffocating 200-foot relentlessness that has produced a 12-1 playoff record so far.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
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The leader breaks the long-standing political and moral consensus with unprecedented relentlessness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gruffness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruffness. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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