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
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Faced with this existential crisis, Bull gathers his best pals—Rocco, a gruff boxer (Idris Elba); Lucky, a dopey but loyal beagle (Bobby Moynihan); and Fetch, a wannabe influencer dachshund (Fred Armisen)—for one final night of canine mischief.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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Though polar opposites, together, Leonard and Bitchy have seen it all; the gruff Bitchy serves as the play’s agitator, pitting him opposite Leonard, the conscience and Greek chorus.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Amid the Yankees' slump, Boone's leadership, managing style and willingness to be stern with players have all been questioned.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
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The witness said Berrios was stern about handling the situation with Torres by herself.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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With all due respect to the pressures of making an unconventional sci-fi film on a tight budget, using ecologically destructive technology for a story of ecological devastation, in which clean water is an increasingly rare resource, adds an unintentionally grim layer of irony to the tale.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
11 Aug. 2025
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Marathon’s rollout has been somewhat grim, with initial flashy trailers years earlier giving way to underperforming gameplay previews and a very unfinished, public Alpha that created intensely negative vibes around the project.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Nonetheless, the show’s premiere provides the perfect moment to map out the slimy, menacing world of Ellen Ripley and company in their epic battle against one of the galaxy’s fiercest creatures.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
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On a subsequent rally, Kaylee smacked a fierce shot past me, scoring her team a point.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The 2025 Subaru Outback is an adventure-ready SUV Subaru's SUV models like the Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback are known for their rugged exteriors and off-roading potential.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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Fleece merges a rugged sophistication with everyday staples.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This season, the idea of him sharing the new ball with Lockie Ferguson could form one of the most intimidating pace duos in the competition.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
9 Aug. 2025
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Compared to most of their fellow National League contenders, the Cubs' rotation isn't very intimidating on paper.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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The cooperative exercises typically elicit a hostile response from North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, who has steadily disapproved of the drills for years.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Aug. 2025
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Their reasons are practical and emotional: 76% cited concern for LGBTQ rights in general, while 71% cited hostile social and political environments.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The New York Times reported this month that a U.N.-backed food security group found famine was widespread across Gaza due to months of severe aid restrictions imposed by Israel as part of its military operation against Hamas.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
17 Aug. 2025
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When severe gerrymandering occurs, the consequences are usually limited to the residents of that state.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungentle. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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