as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a demanding and ungentle land that was not for the fainthearted
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Recent Examples of ungentle
But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times.
—
Stephanie Stradley, Houston Chronicle, 25 Sep. 2020
Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020
Stephanie Stradley, Houston Chronicle, 25 Sep. 2020
Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungentle
Adjective
-
Leslie and her gruff-but-caring, staunch Libertarian boss Ron Swanson (the incomparable Nick Offerman) became symbols of bygone bipartisanship, not to mention endless memes.—
Jennifer Armstrong,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
And Zendaya, as to be expected, really, is fantastic, slipping effortlessly under the skin of the gruff addict in recovery, trying to claw her way out of an increasingly deep hole.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The cast is a murderers row of British actors, and the twisting plot of the novel is full of introspection and doubt, which makes for a tight 127 minutes of shocking revelations told through stern and troubled looks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Apr. 2026
-
This led to a stern, unanimous California Supreme Court ruling in 2020 barring the practice.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This time, the diagnosis was more grim.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Jurors in Tanner Horner's murder trial viewed photos of his FedEx truck, the grim vessel prosecutors say was used to snatch 7-year-old Athena Strand from her own driveway and end her life.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ganesh’s exit from the show was announced earlier this month, sparking a fierce wave of pushback from fans of the HBO show.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Apr. 2026
-
That sum would amount to more than 10 times what President Obama released to Iran under a 2015 nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, that was the subject of fierce Republican criticism in the decade since.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Well, that sounds very intimidating.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In a category dominated by Plan B, its strategy made emergency contraception more approachable and less intimidating.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
High Hopes The Cybertruck debuted with great fanfare in late 2023, diversifying Tesla’s lineup as a rugged bruiser of a vehicle to counter the sleek Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan that account for the vast majority of the company’s auto sales.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
At night, the open-air cinema screens films against the imposing backdrop of the rugged Thripti mountain range.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Our city workers have consistently risen above the vitriol and accusations of hostile political leaders to do the jobs that our residents expect.—
Venus Molina,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
While Kirk may have received hostile or threatening messages, including on social media, those were not part of any identified or actionable threat stream monitored by federal authorities, the person told Sganga.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
According to the lawsuit, her injuries were severe.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Citing leaky roofs, mold, subpar living conditions for firefighters working 24-hour shifts, and plumbing failures so severe that portable bathrooms were required to remain operational, Higgins said improvements are urgently needed.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungentle. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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