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
-
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
-
Remember the legal brawl CEO Elon Musk faced over his $56 billion moonshot pay package at Tesla?—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
Shia LaBeouf pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of simple battery and was sentenced to probation for a Mardi Gras brawl in New Orleans.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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After the zapfest on Earth, the anti-climactic tussle between the forces of good and evil occurs back on Eternia, where He-Man and his nemesis cross swords in a clumsy fight that’s not only predictable but also photographed and edited poorly.—
Jeffrey Ressner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
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The simple walking pattern adopted by fish, which the Cambridge researchers call an ‘undulating tripod gait’, can appear to be quite clumsy and involves too much flopping.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
There is a profound difference between rude political commentary and language that normalizes violence against other human beings.—
Naperville Sun,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
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In other words, leaving early isn't inherently rude.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
2 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
-
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 12 Jun. 2026.
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