ruffianly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffianly
Adjective
  • Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • A little lowly courier work, yes, but nothing more raffish than that.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Dating Game, the Sundance documentary by Violet Du Feng that’s received a riotous welcome on the festival circuit, is set in China where eligible men vastly outnumber women.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Reid’s score alternates between rhapsody and pandemonium, with the latter winning out in a riotous coda.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite the offensive skid in their final two home games of the year, Dodgers catcher Will Smith believes in his team's ability to pull out two wins in what should be a boisterous crowd at the Rogers Centre for Game 6 (and 7 if necessary).
    Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • While at the first school my penchant for being boisterous and chatty was seen as charming, the girls at school two just viewed me as a restless chatterbox.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, the pilgrims became rowdy at their feast and began shooting into the air.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Eventually, Ginger's playful touches turn to rowdy smacks on Jesse's behind.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Customers at Starbucks will be introduced to a new interface with a carnival-style wheel.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023
  • Transform your salad spinner into a carnival-style spin art machine.
    Lauren Piro, Good Housekeeping, 31 Oct. 2022
Adjective
  • Superstar Shohei Ohtani launched a two-run shot to cut the lead down to 11-4, but the momentum still appeared to be on the Blue Jays' side in a raucous Rogers Centre.
    Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • And that all came into play in Game 1, as the Jays thrashed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-4, at a raucous Rogers Centre on Friday night.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Rising number of violent incidents, 911 calls But reducing the inmate population did not solve the problem with drugs and violence.
    Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
  • After Maggie and Paul were shot to death on June 7, 2021, Alex was found guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, earning two consecutive life sentences without possibility of parole.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The film’s centerpiece is a chaotic, carnivalesque parade of surrealistic characters marching through Tokyo.
    Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
  • With their flared, fringed petals, the flowers have a carnivalesque presence, but Oppenheim’s spare installation cuts the comedy.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ruffianly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffianly. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!