ROUGHING (UP) Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

roughing (up)

verb

present participle of rough (up)

as in licking

to strike repeatedly she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in abusing

to abuse physically the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughing (up)

Verb

Signs paws have already been burned include limping, refusing to walk, licking or chewing feet, darker or damaged pads and visible blisters or redness.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
But the Carolinas have their own ways of making barbecue finger-licking.

— Amethyst Ganaway, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026

Definition of licking

Verb

Four people represented by the ACLU of Tennessee filed a lawsuit in May accusing the task force of abusing the law to block them from documenting officers’ actions, sometimes ordering them to stay more than 100 feet away from arrest scenes.

— Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Two Miami-Dade church camp counselors were arrested Wednesday for allegedly abusing a 9-year-old boy by placing large orange cones over his head and repeatedly hitting him, according to the sheriff’s office.

— Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of abusing

Verb

Saturday’s match was missing the loud Latin passion and party atmosphere that South American teams’ fans would have brought; the near-constant singing and chanting to a steady pounding drumbeat.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 July 2026
The drums began pounding; the rain started to beat down even harder.

— Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

Definition of pounding

Verb

Spain’s front men are difficult to ignore Despite only one attacking return, Lamine Yamal ($10m) is still Spain’s most exciting fantasy option.

— Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
With control of a device, the hackers then use it as an exit node when probing or attacking targets in the communications, defense, energy, financial services, and government sectors.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026

Definition of attacking

Verb

Juro is collecting worthy Jedi to help repopulate the Jedi Order, but evil Sith mercenaries are hiding within his candidates’ ranks.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 13 July 2026
Most schemes involved hiding behind computer screens, renting nonexistent apartments or exploiting a grandparent’s love by asking for a grandchild’s fake bail.

— Ari Maas, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026

Definition of hiding

Verb

But this year’s edition could be the best one yet, and the Wolverines will get a chance to prove that next week in Indianapolis after manhandling Tennessee 95-62 yesterday at the United Center to clinch a spot in the Final Four.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The Illini literally soaked in the celebration Thursday night after manhandling hometown favorite Houston to advance to the Elite 8 for the second time in three years.

— Ryan Baker, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

Definition of manhandling

Verb

Under pressure, Fiji conceded 12 penalties — nine by halftime — and a red card to scrumhalf Simione Kuruvoli for lashing out with his boot into the stomach of Ellis Genge.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
In October 2020, Burnham happened to be holding a news conference on live TV, when an aide passed him a phone with news of another lockdown — and the mayor reacted angrily, lashing out at the central government.

— Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 July 2026

Definition of lashing

Verb

Another hiker survived a grizzly mauling on the popular Grinnell Glacier Trail just weeks later.

— Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
Chris Brown was seated at the defense table in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday, poised to testify at his dog-mauling trial, when the judge declared a mistrial due to juror misconduct.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026

Definition of mauling

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roughing it

roughing (up)

rough it

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“Roughing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughing%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of roughing (up)

verb

Example Sentences

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