1
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
a survivalist living in a rough-hewn shelter in the wilderness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
rough-hewn military cadets feeling a little self-conscious at their first formal dance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rough-hewn
What is certain is that, with a lyrical albeit rough-hewn alt-rock act as its headliner, this will be a different sort of Blizzard B-Day.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Each is unique with rustic-chic furnishings like rough-hewn four-poster beds, clawfoot tubs, and wood-burning stoves or original stone fireplaces.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025
The split-personality rig is a rough-hewn, hard-nosed adventure support vehicle outside and an exceptionally comfortable and livable home-on-a-hitch inside.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Over a mashup of fiddles and guitars, Tod and Jennings blend their rough-hewn voices on a song about consequences for older vices and choices, pondering when the consequences of those actions outweigh the vices themselves.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough-hewn
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Each is unique with rustic-chic furnishings like rough-hewn four-poster beds, clawfoot tubs, and wood-burning stoves or original stone fireplaces.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025
The split-personality rig is a rough-hewn, hard-nosed adventure support vehicle outside and an exceptionally comfortable and livable home-on-a-hitch inside.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Over a mashup of fiddles and guitars, Tod and Jennings blend their rough-hewn voices on a song about consequences for older vices and choices, pondering when the consequences of those actions outweigh the vices themselves.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough-hewn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-hewn
Adjective
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Lizzie McGuire made viewers feel seen because Duff was clumsy and awkward, falling into platters of spaghetti and getting dumped by her first boyfriend.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The tech driving my first clumsy steps included a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS sensors monitoring each ski’s position and the weight and angle of my heel.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The vigil can come to look like voyeurism, the human care made crass.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Funny and silly without being crass or gross.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both works, critics say, display uncomfortable stereotypes that have been used to marginalize their respective Jewish and gay populations for a very long time.—
David Colman,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Because in hindsight, there was a lot of luck that played into the public’s preparations for this storm, with forecasters in the uncomfortable position of rapidly ratcheting up their warnings with precious little preparation time to spare.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Frog Lake huts are remote structures miles from the Boreal Ski Resort and are in an area known for being prone to avalanches and difficult to reach in winter due to rough conditions, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Tricia Tuttle has had a rough week.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Colt Gray sent grandmother concerning texts In her testimony, Polhamus reviewed several angry, vulgar text messages from Colt Gray that showed his spiraling mental health and penchant for outbursts.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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Brush was also behind an 1898 National League rule that prohibited indecent, vulgar or obscene language.—
Libby Cierzniak,
IndyStar,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That has trading partners uneasy.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Now, marquee names like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo have gotten into the game, creating an uneasy juxtaposition as other players have bemoaned the effects of gambling and verbal assault from fans.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The deranged demeanor accompanying her rude responses under oath deserves an Oscar nomination in the cringe and horror categories.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
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But there are also things that are just kind of, 'Well, that’s rude.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
When cutting food, holding the meat with the fork in an awkward vertical position.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
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Other awkward—and more viral—moments included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stealing the spotlight from Modi by refusing to hold hands for a photo op designed to be a show of unity and triumph.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough-hewn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-hewn. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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