as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a rough-and-ready shack that the explorers threw together as winter approached
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Recent Examples of rough-and-ready
Five seasons of Premier League football have seen Watkins progress from a rough-and-ready channel runner into a striker of prowess.
—
Carl Anka, New York Times, 30 July 2025
The brand showed off its novel approach to creating a modern version of a vintage Land Rover Defender replete with switch panels for off-road performance and accessories and a rough-and-ready chassis design.
—Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
Their rough-and-ready vérité shooting style creates an intimacy with the subject that deepens the emotional response to music that for many of us is ingrained in our DNA.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
James meets rough-and-ready cowboy Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) upon arrival in Fort Worth and joins his wagon train heading West.
—Rendy Jones, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2024
As Singer’s book documents, Siskel and Ebert’s frequent riffs about their show amount to a rough-and-ready touchstone—even a questionnaire—for critics of all stripes to ponder.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
Iteration is crucial in video-game design Typically a video-game project starts with the team throwing together a few rough-and-ready first drafts to make sure the concept works.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2023
That means looks or labels that are forged in the sweat and heat of the city’s legendary nightlife and its edgy, rough-and-ready street style.
—Cathrin Schaer, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Carl Anka, New York Times, 30 July 2025
The brand showed off its novel approach to creating a modern version of a vintage Land Rover Defender replete with switch panels for off-road performance and accessories and a rough-and-ready chassis design.
—Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
Their rough-and-ready vérité shooting style creates an intimacy with the subject that deepens the emotional response to music that for many of us is ingrained in our DNA.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
James meets rough-and-ready cowboy Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) upon arrival in Fort Worth and joins his wagon train heading West.
—Rendy Jones, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2024
As Singer’s book documents, Siskel and Ebert’s frequent riffs about their show amount to a rough-and-ready touchstone—even a questionnaire—for critics of all stripes to ponder.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
Iteration is crucial in video-game design Typically a video-game project starts with the team throwing together a few rough-and-ready first drafts to make sure the concept works.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2023
That means looks or labels that are forged in the sweat and heat of the city’s legendary nightlife and its edgy, rough-and-ready street style.
—Cathrin Schaer, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-ready
Adjective
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But in that moment, my 40 years of skiing experience evaporated, and the bulletproof snow and thick crowds transformed me into an anxious and clumsy mess.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Following the adventures of the titular sheep, the franchise’s latest takes place at Mossy Bottom Farm on Halloween Eve, watching as excitement turns to dismay when the clumsy Farmer ruins the pumpkin patch.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Heat’s rough night began with a disastrous start, trailing 36-12 just 10 minutes into the contest.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Marty’s face prominently features a scar on his cheekbone and additional scarring under his chin, suggesting a rough life.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
People at work have made rude comments pertaining to my hearing.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Though Jackson acknowledged that those time crunches can be stressful, being rude isn't the way to go.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The trappings of the Senate were another world from Mr. Abourezk’s rough-and-tumble childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, where his Lebanese parents had immigrated and ran a general store.—
STEPHEN GROVES,
BostonGlobe.com,
25 Feb. 2023
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The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.—
Justine Calma,
The Verge,
24 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Buffington had been working as an after-school instructor for classes in woodworking, primitive skills and kite-making through the Princeton Recreation Department.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
These regular observations will gradually take in data and aim to provide pivotal information about the strengths, compositions, and histories of these primitive cosmic bodies.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There, everyone comes and goes on longboats that have awnings, a row of rudimentary seats, and a small outboard motor.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The medical system provides only the most rudimentary care, and hospitals have little to no medicine.—
Joseph J. Gonzalez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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To Glover, the Dallas attorney, the need for a case redistribution process is proof the system is flawed.—
Tony Plohetski,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In the past, the US failed due to their flawed planning.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The no-cloning theorem has presented a major challenge for quantum researchers, who have sought to overcome it with solutions such as imperfect cloning and probabilistic cloning, which uses the broadcasting of mixed states.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
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In Relationship Goals, his character’s transformation is sincere, but imperfect at times.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-ready.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-ready. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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