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
Relevance
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
Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Joe himself was one of these aging, progressive, rough-and-tumble types, half hippie and half Charles Bukowski.
—Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 16 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
There’s no guarantee that talking with Bondi about Epstein in a closed-door setting, even a deposition, will be more productive than the normally rough-and-tumble public hearings held by the panel.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Joe himself was one of these aging, progressive, rough-and-tumble types, half hippie and half Charles Bukowski.
—Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-tumble
Adjective
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Last year, researchers at the University of California San Diego developed a wearable AI system that accurately interprets arm gestures and controls robots, even during running, vehicle motion, or rough ocean conditions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
-
The large leg retains stability even on rough, uneven ground.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Cobb lives across the street from where the brawl happened.—
Brittney Ermon,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
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Like all of the film’s most fist-pumping setpieces, of which there are several, the getaway brawl is a fevered array of different fighting styles that smash into each other like concrete blocks to create something faintly new.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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This layout makes the monitor a natural fit for high-traffic environments like banking counters, medical reception desks, and service queues where traditional screen-sharing is often clumsy or compromises privacy.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
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The clumsy third inning from the defense didn’t help Tong, who threw 27 pitches in the frame.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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That seems a pretty rude thing to write in the newspaper.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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Brock isn’t being rude — far from it.—
Rachel Brodsky,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Some showstopping pieces were sold at Vivienne Westwood’s London shop Seditionaries, which revolutionized a rough-and-ready pop-culture style that still resonates to this day.—
Siran Babayan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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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
Adjective
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Through the use of backlighting, their silhouettes will be thrown onto the facing walls to form a shadow sculpture evoking primitive graffiti or a hieroglyphic-like language.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
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However, several primitive campsites, boat ramps, and fishing piers sprinkled across the area give plenty of access to enjoy the lake at your leisure.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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