1
as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound
she had a gruff speaking voice, but a surprisingly sweet singing voice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stern
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
I didn't exchange one word with the gruff mountaineer who sat next to me in the diner
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gruff
Over a four-decade career that began with a role on Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Lyonne has become known for portraying characters that are gruff but likable, hard-nosed but sympathetic.
—
Air Mail, 17 May 2025
Especially watching Linklater—who’s giving by far the most compelling performance in the production—coming to gruff, aggrieved life by degrees.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gruff
Air Mail, 17 May 2025
Especially watching Linklater—who’s giving by far the most compelling performance in the production—coming to gruff, aggrieved life by degrees.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gruff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruff
Adjective
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In a hoarse voice, Wayne almost steals Tupac’s classic out from under him.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
-
Biden's response is marked by long pauses, and his voice appears hoarse at times.—
Ryan Sprouse,
CBS News,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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It’s submerged 11 to 15 feet deep, with its stern facing the shore.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 June 2025
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Tonight: Explore! TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ★★★ Avoid arguments with others today, which might arise with Mercury in your House of Communications at odds with stern Saturn.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Pictures of husky puppy Kiss who is now in the care of Austin Pets Alive!—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 June 2025
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Fred Clemens, the lodge owner, told us that a few big bass had been caught in Grassy Bay, also some husky channel cats running to 12 pounds.—
Don Shiner,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Sanders’s Senate counterpart, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), is a fierce Trump critic.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
13 June 2025
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Meta’s big bet on Wang fits into CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to bolster his company’s AI efforts amid fierce competition from OpenAI and Google-parent Alphabet.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The two men shook hands, and Mamdani slipped away looking grim.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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Appearances aren’t deceptive; the portents are grim.—
Christian Schneider,
National Review,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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The unexpected combination of rugged Western elements with sleek swimwear created a striking contrast that resonated with the fashion-forward crowd.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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Nigel Sylvester’s Air Jordan 4 RM collaborations were some of the most coveted sneakers of 2024 and after a reported Air Jordan 7 RM instead turned out to be a new model known as the Jordan 92 MVP, another Air Jordan shoe is now rumored to receive the rugged restomod remaster.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Hristo Stoichkov played with an intimidating edge that could both win games and cross an unforgivable line.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
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Judith Collins, the committee chair, said the lawmakers’ behavior was egregious, disruptive, and potentially intimidating.—
Charlotte Graham-McLay,
Christian Science Monitor,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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That’s coupled with a more hostile political environment for diversity-forward businesses.—
Phoebe Liu,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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The crowd was right on top of you there, the students rimmed the court, the very definition of a hostile environment.—
Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gruff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruff. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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