1
as in licks
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in abuses
to abuse physically
the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughs (up)
Verb
-
Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026 -
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The insurer said during a Senate committee hearing that Nutex abuses the independent dispute resolution process, which was intended by the federal No Surprises Act to be a last resort in cases where providers and health insurers can’t agree on what should be paid for out-of-network care.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
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The River Is Waiting follows Corby, a dad laid off from his job in an advertising firm’s art department, who secretly drinks 100-proof rum and abuses prescription medication while caring for his twin 2-year-olds.—
Eric Magnuson,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
James is staring into the middle distance while Luka pounds the air out of the Spalding for twenty seconds per possession.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In the present, Simon (now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) pounds his car’s steering wheel, driving away from wreckage.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Patients with myositis, an immune disease that attacks muscle, have shown significant improvements in strength.—
Jason Liebowitz,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Ghostface killer attacks them, leaving two dead, including Lucas, impaled on a sharp beer tap handle.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Its sleek, portable design hides neatly behind your TV without blocking neighboring HDMI ports.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
-
As the skin matures, pores become larger, but Laura Mercier’s Flawless Fusion Ulta-Longwear Concealer effectively hides them.—
Taryn Brooke,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It’s also made with linoleic acid, a natural emollient that nourishes lashes and brows.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
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Hard Truths premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival and followed Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Pansy, an angry and depressed woman who lashes out at family and strangers, and whose constant criticism slowly isolates her.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Thurman stars as The Bride, left for dead after her former boss and lover Bill ambushes her wedding rehearsal, shooting her in the head and stealing her unborn child.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
29 Nov. 2025
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In the finale, Aggie — who has already been on the run from the authorities after Nile framed her for the kidnapping and murder of Teddy Fenig — ambushes Nina at her gallery and tries to convince her that Nile killed Maddie and was also responsible for Teddy’s death.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Roughs (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughs%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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