as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
their roughneck antics were amusing only if you were as drunk as they were
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a group of roughnecks like to hang out at the roadhouse and harass people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of roughneck
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 June 2025
Where was Benn, their leader and roughneck captain, when Evan Bouchard gave Hintz a dirty slash on the top of his foot — in the exact same place Darnell Nurse injured him and cost him a game and a half — in Game 4?
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
Before meeting us, Sam filmed a food series in Trieste that left him wanting more; Hazel takes Italian at an after-school program; and River, our yummy 5-year old roughneck, is aptly nicknamed Tony Soprano.
—Alyssa Shelasky, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roughneck
Adjective
Solomon’s estranged roughneck father (Chris Bauer) hawks macho health supplements and scams Solomon into becoming one of his salesmen.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 June 2025
Where was Benn, their leader and roughneck captain, when Evan Bouchard gave Hintz a dirty slash on the top of his foot — in the exact same place Darnell Nurse injured him and cost him a game and a half — in Game 4?
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
But this is a look at the more dynamic version, like the roughnecks out in the patch and the offices in Dallas and Fort Worth.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
Before meeting us, Sam filmed a food series in Trieste that left him wanting more; Hazel takes Italian at an after-school program; and River, our yummy 5-year old roughneck, is aptly nicknamed Tony Soprano.
—Alyssa Shelasky, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roughneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughneck
Adjective
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As Dan’s relationship with Kolkena progressed, Betty reportedly left vulgar and threatening messages on the couple’s answering machine, prompting Dan to threaten criminal contempt action, according to the Los Angeles Times.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
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But demeaning our brand through association with vulgar demagogues is a losing strategy.—
Alma Hernandez,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Cabello, once Maduro's chief thug, can now be seen sitting across from high level Trump officials in meetings discussing business deals.—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The bold phrase caused an uproar among fans; while some praised the model for her bravado, others criticized her for being crass.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
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Plastic trinkets and graffiti, television sets and bumper stickers, road signs and wigs—many might describe these items as disposable culture, signs of America’s crass habit of regarding anything as art.—
Hua Hsu,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Magana’s wife, who was inside at the time, said the exchange sounded like a gangster movie.—
Eleanor Nash
Updated May 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
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Cogan made a similar decision in 2011, disqualifying him from representing Colombo gangster Dino Saracino — who was acquitted of the murder of off-duty NYPD cop Ralph Dols but convicted of racketeering.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If Pan American Airways represented, at its height, victory and suavity, the country achieving a kind of European state of grace, then Spirit was the exact opposite—synonymous with the rowdy and the rude at the heart of the American character.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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But please don’t be that rude person calling over and over to someone who is not available at the time.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Noun
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However, Connecticut Citizens Defense League President Holly Sullivan told Fox News Digital that statewide Democrats chose to go after law-abiding citizens instead of criminals by passing this piece of legislation.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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Immigration policy is destroying the lives of families, not criminals.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Was that a conscious decision after the controversy surrounding past tweets that made some people see you as a villain during the Emilia Pérez Oscar campaign?—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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Angel Reese has never had a problem embracing the villain role.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Ask for another round of the appealingly coarse corn tortillas, for scooping up birria off a Jurassic-scale marrow bone.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Also, both models have the High heat setting, so both have the ability to dry even thick, coarse hair at top speed.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roughneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughneck. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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