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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 Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton was fined $11,941 for unnecessary roughness after a late hit on Chiefs rookie running back Emmett Johnson. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026 The unnecessary roughness penalty gave New York 15 yards during a drive that ultimately ended with a touchdown. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026 Murray took a jarring hit to the side of his helmet that drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on Green Bay safety Javon Bullard, leaving Murray on the turf in the type of defensive pose that can accompany brain trauma. — ABC News, 18 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 Bullard was penalized for unnecessary roughness, but the Vikings weren't concerned about further punishment. — CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Then Holland was hit with a fourth quarter unnecessary roughness penalty for a late hit on Cowboys receiver Ryan Flournoy. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026 Nishiyama and his team compared maps showing faults and other geologic signs of contraction at Mercury with newer maps highlighting surface roughness. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2026 Nishiyama and his team compared maps showing faults and other geologic signs of contraction on Mercury with newer maps highlighting surface roughness. — Arkansas Online, 11 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
  • Arugula’s natural bitterness kicks off digestion before the first bite, cueing saliva, stomach acid and digestive enzymes that help the body prepare to break down a meal.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Why arugula may help digestion The whole pitch hinges on one thing, bitterness.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • 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
  • Tell her about the long, unwelcome chats, the bullying and the rudeness.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Definition of rudeness
Noun
  • Diaby intercepted a pass in the attacking third, raced to the edge of the penalty box and blasted a rising shot into the net to cap the scoring in the 63rd minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In places at low to moderate risk of fire, along the edges of flat valleys and lazy hills, growth in the FAIR Plan is ballooning, and it is being used to underwrite new suburban development.
    — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 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
  • More recently, Costco debuted a seasonal strawberry shortcake sundae featuring vanilla or strawberry soft serve, shortcake bites and strawberry topping.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2026
  • On Monday, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment urged residents to take steps to prevent mosquito bites and reduce the risk of infection.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 21 Sep. 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
  • Reparations are about exercising a radical vision, thinking beyond the harshness of life, and knowing that something better is possible.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
  • The harshness of the response suggested that after nearly five decades of trying to negotiate with the SSPX, the Holy See has had enough.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 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 25 Sep. 2026.

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