roughed (up)

verb

past tense of rough (up)
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)
  1. licked
  2. abused
  3. pounded
  4. attacked
  5. lashed
  6. manhandled
  7. whipped
  8. ambushed
Verb
  • Tuxedo kitten Paolina bounced onto my chest and licked my fingers.
    — Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Her entire face got licked clean off her head when suburban floodwaters breached the cardboard hull protecting Kath’s basement memorabilia stack a few months before I was born.
    — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of licked
Verb
  • Furious season 1 wrapped up the case as Alice arrested Catherine at Jay Easton’s (Peter McRobbie) house — the site where Catherine and her friend Isabel (Larissa Campos) were abused.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That series revealed just how little many local police departments are doing to make sure street-camera data is not being abused.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of abused
Verb
  • The team's official drumline, The Pack, pounded on illuminated drums during quarter breaks, while Skye, the team's sassy, blue-haired lioness mascot, jumped onto the T-shirt cannon to launch souvenir merchandise high into stadium seats.
    — Odette Yousef, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Rodriguez pounded the strike zone, issuing his only walk in the sixth inning.
    — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pounded
Verb
  • But the university’s recent actions in a lawsuit filed by a former student who was attacked on campus during that period appear at odds with that commitment.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Not long after Bungalow 8 opened, the World Trade Center was attacked.
    — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of attacked
Verb
  • Outside a fierce storm lashed down, wind whipped against the wood planks, thunder shook the ground, water streamed through cracks and floated into the shack.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the same series of Sunday morning posts, the president also lashed out at Kristen Welker, the moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, for saying his endorsements of Republican candidates in primary elections this year had shown mixed results.
    — Jeff Mason, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lashed
Verb
  • New England lost in demoralizing fashion to the Seahawks last February, 29-13, as the Seattle defense manhandled the Patriots’ offense.
    — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
  • During this stretch, the Colts will face three AFC opponents, including the Steelers, who manhandled them last year and forced Jones to commit a career-high five turnovers in a loss.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Definition of manhandled
Verb
  • Cheese foam is a smooth and slightly salty whipped foam topping popular in boba drinks.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Outside a fierce storm lashed down, wind whipped against the wood planks, thunder shook the ground, water streamed through cracks and floated into the shack.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of whipped
Verb
  • Tete was arriving at his residence and waiting for the gate to open when he was ambushed by two armed suspects.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • As Cole is driving Tibu back from a passing-of-the-torch party, the two are ambushed, and Tibu is killed.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of ambushed
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.

Browse Nearby Words

roughed it
roughed (up)
roughen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roughed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughed%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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