1
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
a rough board can give you splinters
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2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
rough waters that made sailing our sloop a little risky
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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
at least wear a raincoat if you're going out into that rough weather
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4
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a forensics expert who willingly takes on rough assignments
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5
as in tough
difficult to endure
I've had a rough time of it since I lost my job
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6
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the rough faces of hardened criminals who had spent most of their lives behind bars
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7
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed
made a rough camp as darkness fell over the forest
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8
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
he learned polite words to replace the rough language he had known growing up
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9
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
a face rough with a couple days' worth of beard
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10
11
12
as in wild
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
after a rough week on the high seas, we were happy to sail through the gulf's more tranquil waters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rowdy
Related Words
as in to chop
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rough
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Tech had a rough Tuesday, dragging the S&P and Nasdaq lower.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
North County is considered to be the cradle of skateboarding, which has grown from its rough around the edges beginnings into a billion dollar industry where icons like Tony Hawk have become global celebrities.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
The Skippers were their own worst enemy in closing out the title game, as Liam Schultz was penalized for roughing with 11:00 to play in regulation.
—Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rough
Adjective
Erin Napier's introduction to her 40s was a bit rough.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Tech had a rough Tuesday, dragging the S&P and Nasdaq lower.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Noun
Another errant tee shot put Berger in the left rough during sudden death, preventing him from taking on the right-front pin.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
North County is considered to be the cradle of skateboarding, which has grown from its rough around the edges beginnings into a billion dollar industry where icons like Tony Hawk have become global celebrities.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
Mara, though, has no trouble roughing it when the need arises, and she’s just finished shooting two much leaner productions.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
The Skippers were their own worst enemy in closing out the title game, as Liam Schultz was penalized for roughing with 11:00 to play in regulation.
—Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough
Adjective
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These Black Diamond poles help take pressure off knees and joints during steep descents while providing extra stability on uneven terrain.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
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His central finding is that task-level productivity gains are real but do not automatically translate to firm-level or economy-wide effects — and that the historical analogy to electrification suggests transformation will be slow, uneven, and dependent on complementary investment.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The scenes echoed earlier playoff celebrations, including a massive watch-party gathering of roughly 7,000 people in Bryant Park during Game 2 that turned violent and destructive, according to a law enforcement official.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Maclean’s work traffics in deep fakes and glitch aesthetics, rainbow cuteness and the tropes of pulp—but these are set against violent dystopias and a world of cruelties borne, especially, by women (see her 2018 video Make Me Up as an example).—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The discovery is so surprising because even though AGNs are rich with gas and dust — the building blocks of planets — the turbulent conditions within the disks wouldn't generally be considered ideal for forming planets.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
-
The weekend’s severe weather follows a turbulent stretch earlier this week, when severe weather placed 13 million people under flood watches and triggered widespread power outages.—
Christine Rapp,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The verdict was delivered amid difficult personal circumstances for Mette-Marit, Hoiby’s mother, who needs a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
-
Otherwise, those prospects start becoming large contracts that stand more difficult to move or aggregate.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
With the when, where and who will play whom at the 2026 World Cup all locked in, how do the groups rank from the easiest to the toughest?—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
Opening a restaurant in downtown Boise is a tough racket.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
14 June 2026
-
Platner, a gruff 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran, is trying to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins with a platform of economic populism, universal health care, labor protections, and anti-interventionism.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
This layout makes the monitor a natural fit for high-traffic environments like banking counters, medical reception desks, and service queues where traditional screen-sharing is often clumsy or compromises privacy.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
-
The clumsy third inning from the defense didn’t help Tong, who threw 27 pitches in the frame.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
This isn’t about the vulgar prices now being charged to get into the building and Celebrity Row.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
-
But this original iteration of Call Her Daddy was vulgar, transgressive, and short-lived.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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