Synonyms of rough-hewn

rough-hewn

adjective

ˈrəf-ˈhyün 

1

as in clumsy

hastily or roughly constructed

a survivalist living in a rough-hewn shelter in the wilderness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• clumsy
• rough
• crude
• rude
• rough-and-ready
• primitive
• flawed
• rough-and-tumble
• imperfect
• artless
• unrefined
• unfinished
• rudimentary
• defective
• jerry-built
• jury-rigged
• jerry-rigged
• amateur
• unpolished
• faulty
• imprecise
• inexact
• inartistic
• amateurish
• unskilled
• unworked
• unprofessional
• undressed
• unshaped
• inexpert
• unskillful
• unshapen

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refined
• polished
• perfect
• finished
• meticulous
• flawless
• neat
• well-done
• skillful
• artistic
• sophisticated
• expert
• adept
• masterful
• masterly
• artful
• precise
• faultless
• exact
• workmanlike
• perfected
• adroit
• dexterous
• practiced

2

as in crass

lacking in refinement or good taste

a rough-hewn kid who had to learn how to behave properly in polite company

Synonyms & Similar Words

• crass
• vulgar
• rude
• coarse
• crude
• common
• rugged
• rough
• unpolished
• gross
• clumsy
• unrefined
• raffish
• uncouth
• uncultured
• low
• lowbrow
• uncultivated
• tasteless
• rustic
• roughneck
• insensible
• illiberal
• lowbred
• ill-bred
• incult
• boorish
• loutish
• clownish
• cloddish
• lumpish
• churlish
• unsophisticated
• countrified
• ungentlemanly
• oafish
• provincial
• indelicate
• thoughtless
• lubberly
• insensitive
• inelegant
• inconsiderate
• uncivilized
• tacky
• barbaric
• barbarous
• unmannered
• graceless
• unmannerly
• animallike
• mannerless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• smooth
• polished
• civilized
• refined
• cultured
• genteel
• tasteful
• aristocratic
• cultivated
• elegant
• graceful
• patrician
• courtly
• restrained
• well-bred
• sensitive
• thoughtful
• gracious
• sophisticated
• ultrarefined
• considerate
• urbane
• citified

3

as in uncomfortable

lacking social grace and assurance

rough-hewn military cadets feeling a little self-conscious at their first formal dance

Synonyms & Similar Words

• uncomfortable
• uneasy
• clumsy
• awkward
• wooden
• rustic
• stilted
• inelegant
• embarrassed
• ungraceful
• stiff
• gauche
• timid
• angular
• graceless
• upset
• meek
• nervous
• disturbed
• gawky
• ungainly
• flustered
• unsettled
• uncouth
• boorish
• agitated
• clownish
• lubberly
• distressed
• modest
• unassuming
• discomfited
• abashed
• disconcerted
• unpretentious
• bothered
• self-conscious
• unassertive
• perturbed
• diffident
• nonplussed
• jittery
• rattled
• jumpy
• disquieted
• insecure
• mortified
• discomforted
• chagrined
• dismayed
• unhinged
• discomposed
• discountenanced
• self-doubting
• fazed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• graceful
• urbane
• suave
• composed
• collected
• serene
• cool
• confident
• undisturbed
• tranquil
• calm
• placid
• unperturbed
• secure
• poised
• assured
• self-assured
• self-possessed
• self-confident

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rough-hewn

In Maine, Graham Platner, a rough-hewn populist who had to cover up a Nazi tattoo, looks set to handily beat Janet Mills, the polished seventy-eight-year-old incumbent governor. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026

The couple created Boni’s as a slightly more rough-hewn and masculine version of their bespoke sister restaurant. — Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026

Limón, 46, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, has a much calmer personality than many of her rough-hewn male predecessors. — George Skelton, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026

And through it all, Butler’s rough-hewn charm remains intact. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026