in the rough
idiom
chiefly US
: in an unfinished or rough state
He admired the beauty of nature in the rough.
Some of the turquoise is polished and some is in the rough.
Examples of in the rough in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sparkling like a rhinestone in the rough, Ponyboi stands out amid a lineup of cartoon gangsters, tough-guy dealers and gum-smacking prostitutes — lowlifes recycled from a hundred late-night cable movies with superficially similar plots.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024
Two shots into the round, John was distracted by something way right in the rough between No. 1 South and No. 10 North.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2024
Probably no sport has more gray areas than golf, such as coughing when someone is in the middle of their swing or losing a ball in the rough, then placing down a new one without telling anyone to avoid a stroke penalty.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2024
But in the rough world of politics, opponents are not about to let personal embarrassments lay to rest.
—Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2023
Swimming is generally discouraged in the rough waters off the coast of Marin County, although shark attacks in the area are rare, authorities said.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 6 Oct. 2023
The one exception: Justin Thomas hit a ball in the rough onto the green from 100 yards away, a distance where touring pros are thinking about getting the ball to within a few feet from the hole, not just on the putting surface.
—Paul Sullivan, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
The one-time monopoly still wields considerable power in the rough diamond market, selling its gems through 10 sales each year in which the buyers — known as sightholders — generally have to accept the price and the quantities offered.
—Thomas Biesheuvel, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2023
From a gnarly lie in the rough, his third shot from 116 yards found the barranca in front of the green.
—Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024
Two shots into the round, John was distracted by something way right in the rough between No. 1 South and No. 10 North.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2024
Probably no sport has more gray areas than golf, such as coughing when someone is in the middle of their swing or losing a ball in the rough, then placing down a new one without telling anyone to avoid a stroke penalty.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2024
But in the rough world of politics, opponents are not about to let personal embarrassments lay to rest.
—Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2023
Swimming is generally discouraged in the rough waters off the coast of Marin County, although shark attacks in the area are rare, authorities said.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 6 Oct. 2023
The one exception: Justin Thomas hit a ball in the rough onto the green from 100 yards away, a distance where touring pros are thinking about getting the ball to within a few feet from the hole, not just on the putting surface.
—Paul Sullivan, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
The one-time monopoly still wields considerable power in the rough diamond market, selling its gems through 10 sales each year in which the buyers — known as sightholders — generally have to accept the price and the quantities offered.
—Thomas Biesheuvel, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2023
From a gnarly lie in the rough, his third shot from 116 yards found the barranca in front of the green.
—Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in the rough.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“In the rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20rough. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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