1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
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2
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough (up)
Verb
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After milking, the cows would return themselves to their fresh pasture and spend the day grazing, snoozing, licking one another, and cooling off in the shade of pine trees.
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Bring along a friend who wouldn’t be able to indulge in these kinds of finger-licking treats otherwise.
Verb
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One video advertises access to a longer clip of a boy toddler being abused for less than three dollars.
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Christina alleged that Joan physically and emotionally abused her and Christopher in her best-selling 1978 memoir, Mommie Dearest, which was adapted for the 1981 film that starred Faye Dunaway.
Verb
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For loungability there’s a king bed, a hide-a-bed sofa, a fireplace and theater seats.
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When Fluffy failed to come out of hiding after 24 hours, Melissa Kirby and her husband began making and posting missing cat posters around their neighborhood.
Verb
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He is accused of attacking a 27-year-old man with a beer mug inside the Hula Bar on Saturday night.
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Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
Verb
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The heart-pounding encounter ended with the calf reunited with its mother, dramatic photos on a cellphone — and the couple continuing on to catch brook trout.
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Dansby Swanson hit three home runs, including a grand slam, Michael Conforto homered twice and the Chicago Cubs pounded the San Diego Padres 23-3 on Wednesday.
Verb
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In the suit, Ibrahim alleges that he was lured to the gym under the pretense of a challenge and was ambushed by Watson, a co-owner of the gym and two other men.
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The facility hosts a memorial for past police horses and former Officer Tara O’Sullivan, who was ambushed and killed when responding to a domestic violence incident in 2019.
Verb
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Sydney briefly, and understandably, succumbed to the impulse to lash out, something that Carmy has done on more than one occasion while acting as head chef.
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Continue reading … SEISMIC SUPPORT — AOC lashes out at Trump for 'betrayal' of voters after key SCOTUS immigration ruling.
Verb
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During this stretch, the Colts will face three AFC opponents, including the Steelers, who manhandled them last year and forced Jones to commit a career-high five turnovers in a loss.
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Those ramped up after Ottawa was completely manhandled by the Canes, and never held the lead at any point in the series.
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Cite this Entry
“Rough (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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