1
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
a rough board can give you splinters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
rough waters that made sailing our sloop a little risky
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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
at least wear a raincoat if you're going out into that rough weather
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4
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a forensics expert who willingly takes on rough assignments
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5
as in harsh
difficult to endure
I've had a rough time of it since I lost my job
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6
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the rough faces of hardened criminals who had spent most of their lives behind bars
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7
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
made a rough camp as darkness fell over the forest
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8
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
he learned polite words to replace the rough language he had known growing up
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9
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
a face rough with a couple days' worth of beard
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10
11
12
as in wild
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
after a rough week on the high seas, we were happy to sail through the gulf's more tranquil waters
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1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
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2
as in to abuse
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
as in tough
Related Words
as in to chop
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rough
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
Players were struggling to chip the ball to the green from the greenside rough all afternoon.
—Troy Finnegan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, young Spike is back on the mainland, roughing it but clearly surviving.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 June 2025
Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
This proboscis was lined with twin circular layers of teeth, one hard and rough, another soft and feather-like.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough
Adjective
Saturday brought wind into the equation along with the damper roughs, ratcheting up the difficulty on a course that was already putting the field into submission holds.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
Players were struggling to chip the ball to the green from the greenside rough all afternoon.
—Troy Finnegan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
Verb
You may be convinced that sleeping in the woods means roughing it, but that’s simply no longer true.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, young Spike is back on the mainland, roughing it but clearly surviving.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 June 2025
Noun
What to be aware of: Users who are rough on their phones may find that cracks develop where the phone folds.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
This proboscis was lined with twin circular layers of teeth, one hard and rough, another soft and feather-like.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough
Adjective
-
Some days my skin glows, and on others stress, and life’s ebbs and flows, bring breakouts, sun spots, dryness, and uneven texture.—
Micaela English,
Flow Space,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Its floating cut disc adapts effortlessly to uneven terrain, aiming to promote a smooth, even trim while reducing the risk of scalping.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But Over-the-Rhine and Downtown have seen an uptick in violent crime.—
Brenda Ordonez,
The Enquirer,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Coleman said about 175 people convicted of violent crimes that took place before the law's effective date who had not yet been sentenced could have been eligible for early release.—
Lucas Aulbach,
The Courier-Journal,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Sheckler and Kells have used the parallels in their turbulent journeys in the spotlight to lean on one another, making their bond stronger over the years.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The two were married in 2012, and in the 13 years that followed, Krein was spotted from time to time with the powerful political family as his father-in-law navigated a presidential campaign and turbulent term in the White House.—
Kyler Alvord,
People.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Palace’s recruitment strategy depends on selling players, however difficult such deals are to stomach.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
-
And as more time passed, reaching out felt more and more difficult.—
Kevin Kruse,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The logistics of pushing autonomous vessels out into the deep Pacific is tough.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Extending his power over the city for longer would require approval from Congress, and that could be tough in the face of Democratic resistance.—
Lindsay Whitehurst,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The central quartet of friends have a supportive connection underneath all their hormones and egos — Elba proves a standout as the gruff but warm defacto leader — that makes their bloody and sexed-up misadventures oddly wholesome.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 Aug. 2025
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Dougal MacKenzie loves a good prank — and so do the actors who play the gruff Highland Scot.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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This is a huge bonus for a clumsy gal like myself, who often trips over air.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The scale of the problem became terrifyingly clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Japanese government struggled to respond to a nationwide crisis with clumsy digital tools.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Her choice to respond by telling me to 'shut the f*** up' and to 'calm my p*****' was vulgar, dismissive and escalated the issue entirely.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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As deadly wildfires raged across Southern California in January, a Los Angeles city official lamented to the city council and others how they were forced to listen to hateful, vulgar language from some members of the public.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.
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