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
-
The rest of the film takes place in a prison, where Henry’s gruff but philosophical cellmate, Gene (Shia LaBeouf), tries to teach him the ways of the world.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Fimmel digs into the more stereotypical gruff bounty hunter with relish, though the character itself is a western staple.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
And Hannah Waddingham gives a good, stern space-lady as the voice of the Galactic Grand Councilwoman.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
-
In Kurosawa’s version, the chauffeur was an exceedingly meek man who got down on the floor to beg his stern shoe-manufacturer boss, played by the great Toshiro Mifune, to save his son.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
His face is grim, lacking the exuberance and devil-may-care attitude visible in earlier paintings.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 May 2025
-
The headlines may be grim, but history is generous to those who stay invested.—
John Buckingham,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Their love and fierce loyalty toward one another is a high point of Season 2.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
-
Johnson’s selection came over the fierce opposition of some of the school’s staunchest supporters, who celebrate FAMU’s legacy of Black excellence, social mobility and cultural pride.—
Kate Payne,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
And on the rugged ninth hole, his tee shot held up in the grass just short of the bunker.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2025
-
Nance’s experience and rugged style of play were missed.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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In places where higher education was all but a miraculous dream, the act of reading can be intimidating, exclusionary, not to mention unaffordable for people who spend their days working two to three jobs and twelve-hour shifts.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
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Despite their intimidating size, elephant birds were likely herbivores, browsing on fruits, leaves, and low-lying plants.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Adjective
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And Marguerite did actually manage to live there for years, scraping together a life on the hostile tundra.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2025
-
And this is a very hard-line government that has taken a kind of hostile view of everybody in the region.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Biden’s physical deterioration was so severe in the second half of his presidency that aides privately talked about the possibility of a wheelchair, according to an excerpt of a new book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
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How to act during strong winds Take shelter: Immediately go inside a sturdy building during a high wind warning or severe thunderstorm warning and move to an interior room or basement.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungentle. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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