roughen

verb

rough·​en ˈrə-fən How to pronounce roughen (audio)
roughened; roughening ˈrə-fə-niŋ How to pronounce roughen (audio)
ˈrəf-niŋ
Synonyms of roughennext

transitive verb

: to make rough or rougher
… her hands were roughened by work …—Ellen Glasgow

intransitive verb

: to become rough
Age caused his skin to roughen.

Examples of roughen in a Sentence

Roughen the surface with a file before you apply the glue. Her hands were roughened by years of hard work. Age caused his skin to roughen.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
During the process, a bit of friction occurs roughening the surface of the line on a near-microscopic level. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026 This new rendition stars Hugh Jackman, who is no stranger to roughening up an established protagonist. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026 Her voice, now lowered and roughened by age, serves the material well, adding a grain that makes the track feel genuinely unsettled. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026 The narrowing, roughening, and horizon-lowering that had turned that path into this trail had been gradual. — Nell Zink, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roughen

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of roughen was in 1582

Rhymes for roughen

See All Rhymes for roughen

Browse Nearby Words

rough edges
roughen
rough endoplasmic reticulum
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roughen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roughen. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

roughen

verb
rough·​en ˈrəf-ən How to pronounce roughen (audio)
roughened; roughening -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce roughen (audio)
: to make or become rough

More from Merriam-Webster on roughen

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for roughen

Nglish: Translation of roughen for Spanish Speakers

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