1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
a rugged construction that survived for hundreds of years
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2
as in tough
difficult to endure
the incredibly rugged conditions that the polar explorers faced
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3
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the warrior's rugged features frightened the child
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4
as in muscular
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force
a rugged athlete who's competing in weight lifting in the Olympics
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5
as in jagged
not having a level or smooth surface
rugged terrain that made for slow going
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6
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
even more rugged than most ultramarathons, this one crosses a desert
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7
as in turbulent
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
New Hampshire's Mount Washington has some of the ruggedest weather in all of North America
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8
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste
the kind of rugged humor that men have traditionally enjoyed at stag parties
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rugged
Maine’s rugged natural beauty shapes its culture, cuisine, and way of life.
—
Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
On Cebu, the rugged terrain funnelled water straight into communities that lack sufficient drainage.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
The film was shot in Sedona because Daves wanted to use its stunning scenery, though Cochise’s story actually took place in the rugged Dragoon Mountains to the south.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
The futuristic glass pyramids and stark white domes appear in stark contrast to the rugged Sonoran desert landscape and Catalina Mountains rising in the distance.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
On Cebu, the rugged terrain funnelled water straight into communities that lack sufficient drainage.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
The film was shot in Sedona because Daves wanted to use its stunning scenery, though Cochise’s story actually took place in the rugged Dragoon Mountains to the south.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
The futuristic glass pyramids and stark white domes appear in stark contrast to the rugged Sonoran desert landscape and Catalina Mountains rising in the distance.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rugged
Adjective
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The shearling is still fluffy, and the soles are sturdy.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
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However, their record at the Etihad makes for tough reading.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But encounters with the island’s residents, including with his gruff but warm-hearted landlady (played by German screen legend Hanna Schygulla), gradually alter his outlook.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Mikel Arteta has ruled Viktor Gyokeres out of Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Slavia Prague after the striker suffered a muscular injury in their 2-0 win over Burnley on Saturday, November 1.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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It's named after their 17-year-old son, Ryan, who died in December 2018 after battling the neuromuscular condition spinal muscular atrophy.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Rose now realizes the smeared, dark, jagged edges are an abstract human.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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All the shadows and jagged angles evoke German Expressionism, distorting Ronnie’s confrontation into something both surreal and terrifyingly recognizable.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jens generally chooses his words carefully, and is, what’s more, particularly reticent just after finishing a long and difficult winter delivery trip; what’s a person supposed to do with words in a blizzard anyway, up on a stormy heath and all directions lost?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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In his first start in the wake of Beau Pribula’s significant injury, Zollers walked into a difficult situation, and his stat line reflected it.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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With those turbulent waters somewhat behind us, the ones under the ship claim another victim, and poor Britani runs off to throw up over the side of the boat.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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This election will likely be remembered as a beacon during a turbulent sea of democratic backsliding, restoring the values of a city which was built on immigrant innovation and an ethos of inclusion.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Each project presented at MIA is picked with a genuine desire for these works to come to the fore, not by crass commercial considerations.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
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Free speech covers the jokes, the satire, the parodies—even the dumb, crass, or offensive ones.—
Lizz Winstead,
Time,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rugged. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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