ROUGHNECK Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

roughneck 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of roughneck

as in vulgar

lacking in refinement or good taste their roughneck antics were amusing only if you were as drunk as they were

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

roughneck

2 of 2

noun

ˈrəf-ˌnek

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

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 roughneck

Adjective

The show seems organically suited for a more action comedy take, given Hooker’s old style and often roughneck crime fighting style, which seemed out of place in a more woke world. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025 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

Noun

Livestock ranchers, roughnecks and agriculture have had a storied past in the rural land surrounding what is now a long stretch of Interstate Highway 680. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026 His job as the titular landman is to secure leases for oil extraction, to manage crews of roughnecks, and to deal with local government and police. — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roughneck

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughneck

Adjective

Perhaps her daughter-in-law is not vulgar but, rather, simple and spontaneous?

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Decide for yourself whether that’s a bold indicator of English football’s superiority over the rest of the world, or a revolting symbol of the bloated and vulgar behemoth that the game has become.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of vulgar

Noun

That a Christian man was responsible for the devastation in Oklahoma City certainly didn’t matter to the thugs who terrorized a Muslim woman there, nearly seven months pregnant, by attacking her home, breaking her windows, screaming religious slurs.

— Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
On a cold night in November 2011, in a field outside Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, a gang of thugs stormed a Soviet scientific research institute, beat and humiliated the staff and burned the place to the ground.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of thug

Adjective

Murdoch is thick-skinned and accustomed to being underestimated by the condescending Brits, who see him as a crass interloper.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
The vulnerability, the crass graffiti, the (lack of) cleanliness, uncomfortable toilet seats—the list of reasons is lengthy.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of crass

Noun

Unfolding over eight episodes, this brash gangster romp is ludicrous enough to be entertaining in its own way; but the dialogue and plotting really are unforgivably bad.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Sep. 2026
Michelle Yeoh stars as a gifted doctor forced at gunpoint to operate on a gangster with a life-threatening condition.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of gangster

Adjective

For instance, your colleagues may be very agreeable and kind to their boss but rude to their more junior colleagues, or the cafeteria waiter.

— Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Totally ignoring the humanity of both worker and customer is rude, and yet both parties are interested in getting on with whatever the transaction is.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of rude

Noun

Most crimes across Mexico went unsolved, and authorities sometimes appeared to be colluding with criminals instead of fighting them.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Keeping email, downloads and everyday web activity away from that machine reduces the opportunities criminals have to reach it.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of criminal

Noun

There are no villains in Possible Love; there are only people who are aware of others, and people who are not.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
The former Democratic speaker was the longtime villain, a mainstay in ads as Republicans linked Democratic candidates to her to paint them as radical and out of touch.

— James A. Downs, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of villain

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“Roughneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughneck. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of roughneck

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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