1
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
a rough board can give you splinters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
rough waters that made sailing our sloop a little risky
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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
at least wear a raincoat if you're going out into that rough weather
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4
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a forensics expert who willingly takes on rough assignments
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5
as in harsh
difficult to endure
I've had a rough time of it since I lost my job
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6
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the rough faces of hardened criminals who had spent most of their lives behind bars
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7
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
made a rough camp as darkness fell over the forest
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8
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
he learned polite words to replace the rough language he had known growing up
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9
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
a face rough with a couple days' worth of beard
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10
11
12
as in wild
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
after a rough week on the high seas, we were happy to sail through the gulf's more tranquil waters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tough
Related Words
as in to chop
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rough
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
Players were struggling to chip the ball to the green from the greenside rough all afternoon.
—Troy Finnegan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
While some folks may enjoy truly roughing it, those who appreciate a good glamping trip require some comforts to get through those long nights sleeping in a tent.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 June 2025
Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
This proboscis was lined with twin circular layers of teeth, one hard and rough, another soft and feather-like.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough
Adjective
Saturday brought wind into the equation along with the damper roughs, ratcheting up the difficulty on a course that was already putting the field into submission holds.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
Players were struggling to chip the ball to the green from the greenside rough all afternoon.
—Troy Finnegan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
Noun
Tour Lineup One of the main elements of Warped Tour is the camaraderie between bands that roughed it out together amongst cramped vans and tents for years.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
While some folks may enjoy truly roughing it, those who appreciate a good glamping trip require some comforts to get through those long nights sleeping in a tent.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 June 2025
Verb
What to be aware of: Users who are rough on their phones may find that cracks develop where the phone folds.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
This proboscis was lined with twin circular layers of teeth, one hard and rough, another soft and feather-like.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough
Adjective
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Back in April, Ulta had already slowed its rollout within Target, citing uneven returns and operational friction in certain locations.—
Brian Delp,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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From the outside, staying in these uneven dynamics can look like passivity or even low self-esteem.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There ended up being a fire in the shop, and police discovered the victims (again, content warning for a violent crime), naked, tied up, burned, shot in the head with at least one of them having been raped.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Shortly thereafter, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections and staged a violent coup to overthrow the Palestinian Authority and seize control of the Strip.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Sheckler and Kells have used the parallels in their turbulent journeys in the spotlight to lean on one another, making their bond stronger over the years.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
14 Aug. 2025
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The two were married in 2012, and in the 13 years that followed, Krein was spotted from time to time with the powerful political family as his father-in-law navigated a presidential campaign and turbulent term in the White House.—
Kyler Alvord,
People.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This deep understanding of local transportation patterns would have been difficult with rapid multi-city expansion.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
No calendar issue generates more frustration, or is more difficult to solve, than the transfer portal.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Sanctions have roiled Russia's economy and Trump could use tougher measures as leverage over Putin, said Richard Portes, professor of economics at London Business School.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
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The logistics of pushing autonomous vessels out into the deep Pacific is tough.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Faced with this existential crisis, Bull gathers his best pals—Rocco, a gruff boxer (Idris Elba); Lucky, a dopey but loyal beagle (Bobby Moynihan); and Fetch, a wannabe influencer dachshund (Fred Armisen)—for one final night of canine mischief.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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The strength and conditioning coach barked out stretches in a gruff voice, starting off the first practice of fall football camp on a note of discipline.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Any move to unify systems and say goodbye to clumsy data management couldn't be more crucial—or opportune.—
Charles Crouchman,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Every summer a disposable camera was tucked into my camp bag, where clumsy photos, often with a thumb peeking in, were snapped with reckless abandon.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As deadly wildfires raged across Southern California in January, a Los Angeles city official lamented to the city council and others how they were forced to listen to hateful, vulgar language from some members of the public.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
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Her choice to respond by telling me to 'shut the f*** up' and to 'calm my p*****' was vulgar, dismissive and escalated the issue entirely.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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