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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughing (up)

Verb

After contracting the plague, he was banished to a cave, where a dog brought him bread and healed his wounds by licking them.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
But the lively crew at the urinals was already licking its lips in anticipation.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of licking

Verb

In an earlier episode, Pam confronts Grace’s mother about abusing her daughter and ends up bashing in the woman’s head with a meat tenderizer — which sounds like a pivotal moment but plays more like a side quest.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
The former owner of several unlicensed North Texas boarding homes pleaded guilty Monday to financially abusing and fatally neglecting elderly and disabled people in her care, according to court filings.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of abusing

Verb

Groups of young people were seen dancing with music pounding through the crowd as meters away tear gas billowed into the air.

— Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
At the moment, the good detective is strutting around the float, kicking the wheels and pounding the floorboards.

— Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of pounding

Verb

Hawley said the majority of conflicts between humans and coyotes occurs when a pet owner tries to save their pet from an attacking coyote.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
Washington Examiner economics columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher slammed Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed for refusing to denounce a controversial ad attacking Israel.

— Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of attacking

Verb

Rice takes curious young readers on a tour of the natural world that’s hiding in plain sight, focusing on the ways that plants and animals communicate and connect.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
February 19 – March 20 An annoying little problem could be hiding a surprisingly easy fix.

— Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of hiding

Verb

An Osceola County deputy sheriff was arrested this week, accused of manhandling a 67-year-old woman and falsely charging her with battering him during an early-morning traffic stop, the Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.

— Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Hours later, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, announced the suspension of Acosta’s press pass, and, for good measure, falsely accused him of manhandling the aide who wanted the mike back.

— Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of manhandling

Verb

Most of the students were accused of minor offenses, like making threats, using cannabis vapes or lashing out at classmates or teachers, the analysis found.

— Kristian Hernández, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026
More students ages 10 to 13 are ending up in the justice system after vaping, making threats and lashing out at school.

— Rosie Cima, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lashing

Verb

At the time, Guilfoyle was an assistant DA in San Francisco prosecuting a high-profile dog-mauling case and making the rounds on cable news.

— Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026
While the left guard competition remains open, Jones has been on the first string for over a week since replacing Connor Colby, and Jones stood out with an aggressive, mauling nature against the Titans.

— Cam Inman, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of mauling

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.

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roughing it

roughing (up)

rough it

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Style

“Roughing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughing%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of roughing (up)

verb

Example Sentences

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