rough-and-tumble 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of rough-and-tumblenext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rough-and-tumble

2 of 2

noun

ˌrə-fən-ˈtəm-bəl How to pronounce rough-and-tumble (audio)
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

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-tumble
Adjective
The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling. — Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Noun
The sometimes rough-and-tumble process of transplanting from one pot and growing location to another can cause some plants to wilt. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for rough-and-tumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-tumble
  1. rough
  2. brawl
  3. clumsy
  4. rude
  5. rough-and-ready
  6. primitive
Adjective
  • The Rangers had a rough stretch during the seventh when Eovaldi got pulled after allowing one run.
    — Cal Phillips Updated July 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • His process remained rough around the edges, but Thursday was a great step in the right direction.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
Definition of rough
Noun
  • That brawl with the Rockies — figuratively and almost literally — finished with the Dodgers becoming the first team to win 60 games this season.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Eaton and Contreras were both issued suspensions stemming from last week’s benches-clearing brawl involving the Washington Nationals.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of brawl
Adjective
  • But more broadly, as streaming became the dominant way audiences consume entertainment, a shelf full of stuff started to look like a relic of a clumsier time that most folks were happy to forget.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
  • The decision last fall followed clumsy discussion by Kennedy’s dubiously qualified advisors, who make up the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • It’s considered rude to answer one’s phone on public transport or in a restaurant, for example.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
  • When healths were raised during the eighteenth century, it was considered rude or antisocial not to go along with them.
    — Brooke Barbier, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of rough-and-ready
Adjective
  • Then, their caregiver responds by handing the package to the child to feel, saying the name of the food out loud, or another response that serves as a kind of primitive conversation.
    — Miranda Rake, Parents, 9 July 2026
  • The type of camping (primitive versus RV-permitted), facilities, seasonal openings, and the number of sites available vary by campground.
    — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2026
Definition of primitive

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rough-and-ready
rough-and-tumble
rough-and-tumbles
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Cite this Entry

“Rough-and-tumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-tumble. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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