as in rough
hastily or roughly constructed
the announcement of his candidacy was made from a rough-and-tumble stage put together just that morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
a rough-and-tumble broke out among the fans in the stands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rough-and-tumble
Stephen Groves, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Think leather jackets twisted just so, rough-and-tumble slouchy pants, sumptuous faux fur coats and lots of trim suits.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Adjective
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
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Noun
The pride in Plough’s expressions and the tone of his voice was reflective of the theme that every victory is to be savored in this rough-and-tumble sport, one in which no one weeps for the wounded.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Think leather jackets twisted just so, rough-and-tumble slouchy pants, sumptuous faux fur coats and lots of trim suits.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-tumble
Adjective
-
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
Noun
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Investigators aren't saying if there's a connection between Henderson's death and brawls at the bar.—
Ross Guidotti,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The reminder didn’t dissuade at least five park visitors from participating in a 2023 brawl that was captured on video, showing a woman and man throwing punches at each other and wrestling before others joined in.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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
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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
-
People at work have made rude comments pertaining to my hearing.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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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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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
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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
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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