ROUGH-AND-READY Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

rough-and-ready

adjective

ˌrə-fən-ˈre-dē

Definition of rough-and-ready

as in clumsy

hastily or roughly constructed a rough-and-ready shack that the explorers threw together as winter approached

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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 rough-and-ready Black South African soccer developed its own clubs, its own superstars, and its own rough-and-ready style. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026 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 Star chefs from Japan and abroad are shaking up the dining scene with inventive gastronomy, though delicious casual eats from rough-and-ready street stalls and mom-and-pop shops are still Osaka's calling card. — Melinda Joe, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Mar. 2025 But grit, rawness and dirty-realist poetry can be elusive elements to conjure, even in a production that cultivates those qualities with a rough-and-ready feel for the scrappy, sweaty storytelling of another era. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for rough-and-ready

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-ready

Adjective

Vocals are surprisingly good, despite the show being a bit awkward and clumsy at times.

— Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
Sneak away into the beyond—maybe this was a clumsy translation.

— Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of clumsy

Adjective

Tampa Bay capitalized on a rough outing by Jesús Sánchez, who struggled to track two fly balls against the Tropicana Field roof.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
His platform season has been so rough that a lot of his closest comps in WAR are guys coming off serious injuries.

— Tim Britton, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rough

Adjective

Some researchers have argued that LUCA was a complex cell with a primitive immune system to protect against viruses.

— Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
Porous feet deliver The researchers designed and 3D-printed three hemispherical TPMS variants—primitive, gyroid and diamond—and evaluated their mechanical properties through compression testing.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of primitive

Adjective

Initially a rudimentary, box-like affair, things have improved since, thanks mainly to the addition of a second tier behind the goal.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
And packing no GoTo computer requires at least a rudimentary knowledge of the night sky and a star atlas or planetarium software.

— Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of rudimentary

Adjective

The senior colleague was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing, but Leo claimed that the investigation was flawed because of its focus on his mental illness.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Summary The sight of empty offices on pleasant days is prompting a re-evaluation of commercial real estate, but experts argue occupancy is a flawed metric for office value.

— Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of flawed

Adjective

Abrams is a player who is both imperfect and essential to a team that has far exceeded its gloomy preseason projections.

— Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
The anticapitalist utopia in The Dispossessed is imperfect, but the book is mind-expanding, opening up new ways to think about what’s possible.

— Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of imperfect

Browse Nearby Words

rough

rough-and-ready

rough-and-tumble

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“Rough-and-ready.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-ready. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of rough-and-ready

adjective

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