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
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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
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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
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
If the surprisingly rough-and-tumble world of 16th-century playwrights doesn’t immediately compel you, know that this is the kind of book in which every page is filled with an unexpected twist or insight (however speculative or hard to prove these conclusions may turn out to be).
—Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
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 authors, sports journalists Frankie de la Cretaz and Lyndsey D’Arcangelo, set out to give generations of rough-and-tumble women athletes their due.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
If the surprisingly rough-and-tumble world of 16th-century playwrights doesn’t immediately compel you, know that this is the kind of book in which every page is filled with an unexpected twist or insight (however speculative or hard to prove these conclusions may turn out to be).
—Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-tumble
Adjective
-
In a region of rough roads, Chispa is among the roughest.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
That is often billed as a finishing school for footballing talent, but graduates inevitably remain rough around the edges.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Budget brawl House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley chats with legislators during the 2025 Georgia Legislative session.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
-
Suwałki police said in their release that officers responded to a report of a brawl that happened during a wedding reception held in an apartment in Suwałki.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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But less fine is Kreutzer’s decision to make Kühn’s own domestic challenges a parallel story, set up in clumsy counterpoint with Lucy’s.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
Salmonflies, however, are bigger and clumsier than smaller insects like mayflies.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Petrie didn’t only celebrate his own hits but pointed to rival shows like Sky’s Saturday Night Live UK and Prime Video’s Last One Laughing as proof that British comedy is in rude health.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
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Elizabeth continues to be an infuriating character, interrupting with rude and unhelpful asides throughout the entire family meeting, casually gnawing on an orange slice as Greg and Katie have a heart-to-heart across the table.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Its Blue Armchair, on show at design exhibition Convey, is blocky and rigid with rough-and-ready industrial detailing.—
Francesca Perry,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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Since then, the 6ft 4in (193cm) Yorkshireman, released by Huddersfield Town as a youngster for being too small, had evolved from a rough-and-ready forward to become one of the lower leagues’ most reliable target men, with a reputation for delivering big goals at big moments.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Analysts note Iran was able to penetrate US air defenses in the Persian Gulf with relatively primitive technology, including low-cost Shahed drones and lower-cost ballistic missiles.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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Hannes’s roommate, Gundula (Marlene Burow), uses a primitive nineteen-seventies version of Tony’s 2020 technology to study and decode the behavior of her potted geranium.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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