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
Christopher L. Eisgruber, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
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
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
Encounters with protest—as participants, observers, or opponents of it—are useful parts of learning for students who will eventually leave their campuses for a fractious, rough-and-tumble political world.
—Christopher L. Eisgruber, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-tumble
Adjective
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The Frog Lake huts are remote structures miles from the Boreal Ski Resort and are in an area known for being prone to avalanches and difficult to reach in winter due to rough conditions, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Tricia Tuttle has had a rough week.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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During the brawl, a 23-year-old man was stabbed in the armpit with a sharp object, cops said.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Some of those arrested had acknowledged involvement in the brawl but all denied intending to kill Deranque, according to Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Lizzie McGuire made viewers feel seen because Duff was clumsy and awkward, falling into platters of spaghetti and getting dumped by her first boyfriend.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
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The tech driving my first clumsy steps included a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS sensors monitoring each ski’s position and the weight and angle of my heel.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The deranged demeanor accompanying her rude responses under oath deserves an Oscar nomination in the cringe and horror categories.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
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But there are also things that are just kind of, 'Well, that’s rude.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This structure could serve as a workspace and, for a while, as a rough-and-ready home.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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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
Adjective
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And director Hammond doesn’t let the primitive miniseries technology defeat him.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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Their design was unpolished, even primitive, seemingly to convey a sense of slapdash amateurishness.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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