as in roughhousing
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
their parents simply wouldn't tolerate any roughhouse in the living room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to wrestle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of roughhouse
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2024
These inflatable body bumpers do just that while also ensuring that kiddos don’t get hurt while roughhousing in the backyard, park, or beach.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 14 June 2024
Dan Shaughnessy, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
Brazil’s team, a double defending champion, had been eliminated in the group stage in the 1966 championship in England, with Pelé literally kicked out of the tournament by the roughhouse play of Brazil’s opponents.
—Tariq Panja, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for roughhouse
Noun
There were nights spent roughhousing at the fire station, maybe engaging in a pillow fight or two.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2024
These inflatable body bumpers do just that while also ensuring that kiddos don’t get hurt while roughhousing in the backyard, park, or beach.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 14 June 2024
Verb
Geno lost his composure at the end of the game, picked up a T, then critiqued South Carolina’s roughhouse style.
—Dan Shaughnessy, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
Brazil’s team, a double defending champion, had been eliminated in the group stage in the 1966 championship in England, with Pelé literally kicked out of the tournament by the roughhouse play of Brazil’s opponents.
—Tariq Panja, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for roughhouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughhouse
Verb
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Instead of encouraging students to wrestle with opposing views, many campuses reward silence or groupthink.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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But while salons have offered steam treatments as a curly hair staple for decades, at-home steamers have been too bulky (attempting to replicate in-salon domes) or too hard to use, requiring you to wrestle your curls into heated thermal caps, a battle that’s easy to lose.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trane says this approach can cut up to 25% of energy use and reduce emissions by as much as 40%.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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One Yelp reviewer claimed employees will often cut up toppings on the spot, ensuring freshness.—
Greg Mellen,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trump has alienated Brazil by defending its former president, charged with trying to overturn a legitimate election, and South Africa, accusing it of mistreating its White citizens.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Instead, scenes of life at the nunnery are interspersed with childhood memories, usually involving her mother assisting people in need or her classmates mistreating vulnerable children.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Many foreign attendees at San Fermín have no stomach for the spectacle and spend their early evenings carousing in local bars instead.—
Tony Perrottet,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
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These increasingly crazed visitors spend their days lazing on the shore, drinking and eating, carousing with prostitutes, and abusing Rosa (played by B-movie actress Leonora Fani, who would also star in the equally notorious vacation film Giallo in Venice) for their own entertainment.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Butch Baker, who was Henry County sheriff until 2014, recalled an incident in which Bertram was accused of inappropriate horseplay at the community corrections office.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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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
Verb
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Fans chanted for Jimmy Uso as he was being pummeled by Bronson Reed.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Patel gets mad Patel, who had been getting pummeled by Democrats for nearly four hours, lost his calm demeanor.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Another fan clowned Chicago for its move, noting that Reese's criticisms of the team's roster building.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
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The pie shoved in Anthony’s face by his lover, Giuseppe, felt like a neat distillation of how crudely the series seemed to clown its characters, week after week after week.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roughhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughhouse. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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