as in roughhousing
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
their parents simply wouldn't tolerate any roughhouse in the living room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to wrestle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cut up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of roughhouse
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2021
Chewy orecchiette roughhouse with big hunks of sausage and broccolini, enrobed in a rich goat cheese fonduta.
—Dominic Armato, azcentral, 16 July 2019
Sandy West, NBC News, 7 Oct. 2023
In another, my son roughhoused with friends and Buddy attacked.
—Michelle Madden, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for roughhouse
Noun
Phil bitterly watches from a distance while his fellow cowhands roughhouse, bathe together and chase prostitutes at a local saloon.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2021
Chewy orecchiette roughhouse with big hunks of sausage and broccolini, enrobed in a rich goat cheese fonduta.
—Dominic Armato, azcentral, 16 July 2019
Verb
Raised on her family’s farm in conservative Nebraska in the 1960s and ’70s, Ashley Swartz took her cues about life from her surroundings: At home, the men worked the farm; elsewhere, boys roughhoused and participated in sports; at church, there was good and there was evil.
—Sandy West, NBC News, 7 Oct. 2023
In another, my son roughhoused with friends and Buddy attacked.
—Michelle Madden, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for roughhouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughhouse
Verb
-
Fear of falling behind That worry of falling behind is something many men are wrestling with, according to a recent report by the Speaking with American Men (SAM) project, a new effort aimed at helping Democrats better reach and connect with young men.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
13 June 2025
-
Many bishops are wrestling with similar downsizing questions as the number of church-going Catholics in parts of the U.S. and Europe shrinks and once-full churches stand empty.—
Nicole Winfield,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
Nothing beats the taste of a refreshing piece of watermelon on a hot day, so having some cut up and ready in the refrigerator is crucial as the days warm up.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
-
Sandoval had cut up furniture in a rage and could make their tough brother cry, says Matt Green.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
More recently, in June of last year, thirty-four senators sent a letter to Andy Jassy, the C.E.O. of Amazon, addressing allegations that the company mistreated drivers in its Delivery Service Partner program.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 May 2025
-
This is not the singer’s first time being accused of mistreating animals.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
That night, Noonan caroused at the hotel bar with James Collopy, the district superintendent of the civil-aviation board.—
Laurie Gwen Shapiro,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
-
In late March, a few hundred people descended on the Mall at Bay Plaza in the Bronx with young-looking shoppers carousing and running through the complex, based on a TikTok video.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
The action anime feature for everyone who couldn’t get enough of the horseplay in The Two Towers has finally cantered onto Max.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Mike Vrabel’s back And the horseplay is going to stop, apparently.—
Josh Kendall,
The Athletic,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Oregon State pummeled Saint Mary’s 20-3 on Sunday afternoon to reach the final.—
Shotgun Spratling,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
-
Republican lawmakers are breathing a sigh of relief that the courts are putting the brakes on President Trump’s trade war, which has pummeled markets, created economic uncertainty and taken a bite out of Trump’s approval ratings.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
The 52-year-old recently appeared in the Happy Gilmore 2 trailer and hilariously clowns Adam Sandler.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
5 June 2025
-
After teasing the song on a Twitch livestream with the streamer Reggie, fans were quick to clown the pop star for trying to turn a lighthearted track into a soulful ballad.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Milan’s Chukwueze revelled on this stage, exciting fans further with a number skilful runs on the ball.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
First up, while people are revelling following the verdict, the emotional intensity of reaction can be traced to a sense of loss.—
Callum Booth,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roughhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughhouse. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share