ROUGHNESS Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

roughness

noun

Definition of roughness

as in bitterness

a harsh or sharp quality a roughness to the wine that should decrease with age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Finally, there was Gilman’s unnecessary roughness penalty on top of a 22-yard pass that reset the tone of the game and helped enable Denver to cut it to 24-21. — Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026 The Bears were helped on the ensuing kickoff by Seahawks defensive lineman Mike Morris’ unnecessary roughness penalty, setting them up at their 44-yard line. — Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026 Elliss was flagged for unnecessary roughness for the hit, and Washington, after a brief trip to the blue medial tent, returned five plays later to catch his first receiving touchdown of the season. — ABC News, 1 Nov. 2026 The Jets got the ball at their 35 with 27 seconds left and a 15-yard catch by Garrett Wilson and an unnecessary roughness call on Chinn put the ball at the Raiders 35. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 1 Nov. 2026 Washington came back in to finish the drive after going to the sideline momentarily following a hit from New England linebacker Christian Elliss on an in-breaking route underneath that drew an unnecessary roughness penalty. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughness

Noun

The bitterness this caused would help lead to the rise of radical elements in Germany—Erzberger was murdered in 1921, and Hitler would come to power over the next decade—eventually bringing about the Second World War.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Nov. 2026
Joseph Zada is beyond impressive in a highly demanding role that pushes him to the limit physically and emotionally, perfectly capturing the essence of Haymitch with all the sympathy, charm and bitterness Woody Harrelson brought to the role.

— Zack Sharf, Variety, 29 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

Two came from edge Chop Robinson while another was courtesy of fellow edge Josh Uche.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
Bake pie until edges of filling are set and slightly puffed but center still wobbles a little when gently shaken, 40–50 minutes (filling will continue to set after baking).

— Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of edge

Noun

As the guests arrived on the wedding day, they were treated to cocktails and delicious bites before taking a seat in the ceremony area.

— Shelby Wax, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026
Serve chocolate cranberry bites, this zippy bundt cake or this cranberry curd tart on the dessert table.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of bite

Noun

The high-end makes Rihanna’s voice a bit sibilant and otherwise gives a harshness to the track.

— Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2026
Fresh garlic gets much of its sharp aroma from sulfur compounds like allicin, and those compounds change during aging, so black garlic loses much of that harshness.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Roughness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughness. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of roughness

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

abandon

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes