1
as in licked
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in abused
to abuse physically
the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughed (up)
Verb
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Some even licked the candy to soften it -- a trick used by contestants in the show.—
Hakyung Kate Lee,
ABC News,
17 Oct. 2025 -
Napkins were crumpled; plates were licked.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But like any power, it can be abused.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Nov. 2025
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In handing down the sentence, Montenegro said Bonillo understood the scope of his misdeeds, abused his position of trust and used that position to enrich himself while undermining CBP’s main goal.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Walpole got on the board first, scoring three seconds into the second quarter when Jack English pounded the ball into the end zone on third-and-goal from the one.—
Justin Barrasso,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Without its dynamic starting quarterback, the Cougars were outpaced by visiting Inglewood, which pounded the rock in a 40-16 victory on Friday at Saddleback College.—
Zach Cavanagh,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Crabtree stopped, turned, attacked the ball and snagged it.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Picking sweet Julie mangoes from the big tree in the front yard of my childhood home; going to the beach where my late brother tried (and failed) to teach me to swim; visiting relatives during the summer in the very areas that were now being lashed by rain and wind.—
Grace White,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
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Vargas floated groups of migrants across the informal border crossing between Guatemala and Mexico on a makeshift raft made from wooden boards lashed to fat inner tubes.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Workers described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, including reports from women workers who said they had been manhandled and subjected to obscene remarks and threats.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
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Vancouver completely manhandled a similarly representative Flames lineup, ultimately winning 8-1.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cherry already has a soft spot for Biancani, never mind the grueling conditioning, including countless hours of running that whipped the Hornets into shape.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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Ovechkin gathered the puck on his forehand, quickly turned it over to his backhand and whipped it into the net.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In 2010, while covering an event in Lara, a western state that has long been a government stronghold, he and several fellow journalists were ambushed by a mob of militants loyal to the regime.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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And after a Washington woman was repeatedly ambushed by an owl while walking in the woods near her house in 2022, biologists report that the occurrence is becoming more frequent.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
3 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Roughed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughed%20%28up%29. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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