roughness

noun

Definition of roughnessnext
1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality a roughness to the wine that should decrease with age

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rudeness
the quality or state of lacking refinement or good taste the roughness of pioneer life is not glossed over in the documentary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 roughness Cam Skattebo shared his thoughts on a controversial unnecessary roughness call against him in the New York Giants’ win over the Houston Texans on Sunday. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Wyatt was called for unnecessary roughness, and Jared Goff threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams two plays later. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 Fixing the problem Flexible substrates have uneven surface roughness and varying hydroxyl-group densities, making standard large-area printing techniques ineffective. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026 An unnecessary roughness penalty was pivotal on West Virginia’s final touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026 Delane, who was taken by the Chiefs in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft out of LSU, was fined $12,537 for unnecessary roughness on a low block. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026 Okereke himself, who was the one called for the unnecessary roughness penalty, was disappointed but resolute postgame. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 Before a big event, exfoliate, paying extra attention to areas prone to roughness or dryness, like elbows, knees and wrists. — Ellie Beeck, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughness
  1. bitterness
  2. rudeness
  3. edge
  4. lowness
  5. bite
  6. coarseness
  7. harshness
  8. grossness
Noun
  • The salmoriglio, a Calabrian condiment with garlic and herbs similar to chimichurri, features dandelion greens, their bitterness a counter to some of the sweetness.
    — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The amateur is freed from the pressures of exhibition and sale, but that might just as easily breed bitterness as happiness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • But the opposition is steeped in that same monotone rudeness.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The once-vaunted values of public life are now reduced to the lower standards of private life—venality, vulgarity, rudeness, incontinence, and ignorance.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of rudeness
Noun
  • Sequenced at the center of a three-track medley, its death-dream logic deliberately evokes the SMiLE era’s dark, confusing edge.
    — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Wear one in beige or white to add a bit of brightness to your look, or black for some edge.
    — Michel Mejía, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of edge
Noun
  • That feeling stops, however, when pulling into gas stations or parking lots, where the length and lowness of the car require extreme care to keep the chin from scraping.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of lowness
Noun
  • Shamonda virus is spread by bites from a type of fly called a midge.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Eleven people remain missing after an 89-hour search; several survivors suffered injuries consistent with shark bites.
    — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of bite
Noun
  • Most denim blends using hemp only include 20 or 30 percent of the fiber due to its coarseness.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But many seemingly urbane texts also benefited from the intellectual and moral coarseness of their times.
    — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of coarseness
Noun
  • Something is roiling under the surface of Smallwood’s harshness.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Even then, their triumph is far from assured; the climb becomes more unreal in its harshness.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of harshness
Noun
  • But Paddy’s isn’t Sudz, and the Gang’s efforts to soft-pedal their antics to be more in line with those mainstream bars devolved into typical Sunny-style hostility and off-putting grossness.
    — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026
  • All your Dad has to do is fill it and drink—the microfilter membrane will do the rest by removing chlorine odors, dirt, bacteria, and any other grossness floating around in there.
    — Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Definition of grossness

Browse Nearby Words

roughnecks
roughness
roughs
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Cite this Entry

“Roughness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughness. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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