scabrous

Definition of scabrousnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective scabrous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scabrous are harsh, rough, rugged, and uneven. While all these words mean "not smooth or even," scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.

a scabrous leaf

Where would harsh be a reasonable alternative to scabrous?

The meanings of harsh and scabrous largely overlap; however, harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.

a harsh fabric that chafes the skin

When would rough be a good substitute for scabrous?

While in some cases nearly identical to scabrous, rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.

a rough wooden board

When could rugged be used to replace scabrous?

While the synonyms rugged and scabrous are close in meaning, rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.

a rugged landscape

When is it sensible to use uneven instead of scabrous?

The words uneven and scabrous can be used in similar contexts, but uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.

an old house with uneven floors

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 scabrous Pope Francis often made scabrous criticisms of younger, more tradition-minded priests and faithful. The Editors, National Review, 8 May 2025 Lamar mirrors Nas’s slow build to a scabrous eruption, followed by exhaustion. Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024 Is this Scott redoing American Gangster as a grand Italian tragedy, or scabrous comedy about a family undone by their ineptitude and excess? Scott Tobias, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024 Jacobs wrote the script with these three actors in mind, which was perhaps shocking news to each of them, who play scabrous women who locate the worst characteristics of each other and then blow them up into throwdown fights. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for scabrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scabrous
Adjective
  • One of the troublesome sounds for writers was /w/.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • Above-ground tree roots can be just as troublesome and require special attention.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • The annual Group of 7 summit for decades has been an occasion for the heads of state of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and the United States to meet as friends and try to hash out a collective approach to the vexing problems of the day.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
  • Cardholders struggle with inflation, interest rates Cardholders are still struggling with a vexing combination of elevated inflation and interest rates.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Adjective
  • On one side is challenger Holly Cook, who has filed for bankruptcy twice, been held in contempt of court on nine counts, been pursued by multiple collections agencies and once was labeled a vexatious litigant, court records showed.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 13 May 2026
  • The federal vexatious litigator statute allows the court to impose sanctions on a case by case basis for vexatious conduct.
    Jack Greiner, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Dealing with stubborn dark spots?
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 June 2026
  • But when the adults decide to cancel Christmas and the magical star fades away, a stubborn little bird named Pikkuli sets off on a winter adventure with friends to find the Starlight Reindeer and bring back the light.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Then there were the ghoulish figures of revolutionary adventurers, the Mexican painter with two pistols in his belt, the men who were carving themselves careers out of these troublous times.
    John Dos Passos, National Review, 28 Sep. 2020
Adjective
  • Meningitis can lead to a host of worrisome symptoms that range in seriousness depending on what's causing the infection and inflammation.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 June 2026
  • Why is an addiction to ultraprocessed foods worrisome?
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Adjective
  • That air should be JR’s vital collaborator — no complex and costly scaffolding for these magic mountains — is nothing new in Paris.
    Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • Founded by Marc-André Roy and Jared Etzel in 2012, Domaine Roy & Fils is known for its elegant interpretations of Burgundy-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, so this complex but somewhat lighthearted rosé comes as a pleasant surprise.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • This includes courses such as the notoriously recondite organic chemistry as well as biology, general chemistry, and physics.
    Richard Menger MD MPA, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Social Security’s internal workings are so recondite and poorly understood by average voters that numerous possible ways of imposing benefit cuts or otherwise harming the program are hiding in plain sight.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Scabrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scabrous. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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