roughhouse 1 of 2

noun

ˈrəf-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce roughhouse (audio)
Definition of roughhousenext
as in roughhousing
wildly playful or mischievous behavior their parents simply wouldn't tolerate any roughhouse in the living room

Synonyms & Similar Words

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roughhouse

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to wrestle

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to cut up

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of roughhouse
Noun
Weighing between eight and 10 pounds, these pooches are not ideal for young kids who tend to roughhouse. — Country Living, 1 May 2023 Geno lost his composure at the end of the game, picked up a T, then critiqued South Carolina’s roughhouse style. — Dan Shaughnessy, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
In the clip, four male golden retriever puppies were roughhousing. — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025 While the attempt is made to laugh this off as the result of some sort of roughhousing with Chelsea, even Chrishell suggests to the camera that there’s a more adult explanation. — Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for roughhouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughhouse
  1. roughhousing
  2. wrestle
  3. cut up
  4. horseplay
  5. mistreat
  6. carouse
  7. joking
  8. pummel
Noun
  • As expected, Aussies brought the roughhousing.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 20 June 2026
  • The boys challenge each other to throw heavy objects, which leads to intense roughhousing.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of roughhousing
Verb
  • Alvarado will be out in that scenario due to points and Ranchview will have to win by nine points or more to wrestle the final playoff berth away from Springtown.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The new tax brackets come as Americans wrestle with affordability issues amid the rising cost of housing, groceries, gasoline and other living expenses.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of wrestle
Verb
  • Californios’ reign began to vanish even before the discovery of gold, when droughts and floods wiped out their easygoing livelihoods, and their lands were cut up, sold off, and their land grants swept aside by the new state.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The board's original proposal called for cutting up to 18 English learner teachers across the district.
    — Beret Leone, CBS News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of cut up
Noun
  • Six months ago, Thomas drowned during rough horseplay in a pool.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The video depicts a group of students engaged in horseplay, progressing to two 15-year-olds tussling and laughing, according to the suit.
    — Eric Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of horseplay
Verb
  • The customer can challenge a decision without mistreating the person explaining it.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Dustin Degenhardt, a voter in the town of Wainwright, said that Albertans have long been mistreated by Canada’s federal government.
    — Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistreat
Verb
  • There are certainly fans and pundits who feel that anything short of a title shouldn’t be celebrated in sports, and some who think carousing over anything less is especially beneath the Yankees, who have won 27 World Series but zero since 2009.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Three sitting rooms are complemented by a further three members’ social spaces for carousing in, concealed behind a subtle screen (here, DJs including Goldierocks make appearances, and mobile snaps are banned; staff politely place a sticker over mobile camera lenses).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Definition of carouse
Noun
  • As the audience applauded, Stewart launched into his joking eulogy.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Russell was mentioned in that speech, but in a joking way, playing off of how frequent Oscars director Glenn Weiss, who won for his role helming the 2018 Academy Awards telecast, had used his speech to propose to his then-girlfriend.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of joking
Verb
  • As habitat loss, pesticides and climate change pummel monarch populations, the research could help their numbers rebound.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Kyiv has been pummeled by Russian missiles and drones in recent weeks.
    — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of pummel

Browse Nearby Words

rough-hewn
roughhouse
roughhoused
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Cite this Entry

“Roughhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughhouse. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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