1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
a roughness to the wine that should decrease with age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rudeness
the quality or state of lacking refinement or good taste
the roughness of pioneer life is not glossed over in the documentary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of roughness
Original floors were maintained and Valéry, with the help of his brother Louis-Antoine, kept the rustic roughness of the walls, which helps the hotel preserve a sense of history.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Over time, turbine blades are exposed to surface roughness due to erosion, oxidation and mechanical wear.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
What constitutes pass interference or unnecessary roughness can vary dramatically from one crew to another, and even from quarter to quarter within the same game.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, shea butter softens roughness and delivers a youthful glow.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
Each street segment is assigned a Pavement Condition Index score based on roughness and cracks.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Following that theft at the Eagles’ 38-yard line with 12 minutes remaining, backup safety Marques Sigle delivered an unnecessary-roughness hit on a sliding Hurts, vaulting the Eagles toward the red zone and ultimately a 33-yard Jake Elliott field goal for a 19-17 lead with 8 minutes remaining.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Two Commanders players — defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw and safety Quan Martin — and one Eagles player — offensive lineman Tyler Steen — were disqualified after being flagged for unnecessary roughness during the brawl.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Reflections of moonlight off the ocean can help scientists study sea-surface conditions, such as roughness and wave patterns, even at night.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Over time, turbine blades are exposed to surface roughness due to erosion, oxidation and mechanical wear.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
What constitutes pass interference or unnecessary roughness can vary dramatically from one crew to another, and even from quarter to quarter within the same game.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, shea butter softens roughness and delivers a youthful glow.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
Each street segment is assigned a Pavement Condition Index score based on roughness and cracks.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Following that theft at the Eagles’ 38-yard line with 12 minutes remaining, backup safety Marques Sigle delivered an unnecessary-roughness hit on a sliding Hurts, vaulting the Eagles toward the red zone and ultimately a 33-yard Jake Elliott field goal for a 19-17 lead with 8 minutes remaining.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Two Commanders players — defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw and safety Quan Martin — and one Eagles player — offensive lineman Tyler Steen — were disqualified after being flagged for unnecessary roughness during the brawl.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Reflections of moonlight off the ocean can help scientists study sea-surface conditions, such as roughness and wave patterns, even at night.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughness
Noun
-
Tahini’s bitterness balances the intense sweetness of dates, the traditional Ramadan break-the-fast food; stuffing dates with tahini is a Ramadan treat.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The bitterness is concentrated in the green shoot itself.—
Caitlin Beale,
Health,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The language is infused with intensity, lust and earthy rudeness: Climbs have names like Fingerbang Princess and Tinkerbell Bandersnatch.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Dissatisfaction isn’t rudeness or ingratitude.—
David Williamson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Arm's chip designs power most of the world's smartphones and are increasingly used in AI data centers and edge computing devices.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
On Thursday afternoon, OpenAI released a new cutting-edge coding model that the company said assisted in its own creation.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That feeling stops, however, when pulling into gas stations or parking lots, where the length and lowness of the car require extreme care to keep the chin from scraping.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Stir together the remoulade as the crab cakes cook, so as little time as possible stands between you and your first bite.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Infected cats can carry the fungus in their claws or skin lesions, and scratches or bites can transmit the infection to humans.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An alkaline compound, baking soda is a non-toxic cleaner with a coarseness that works wonders for scrubbing grime, removing difficult stains, and deodorizing stinky odors.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
There is plenty of coarseness in American arenas totally unrelated to MAGA or Trumpism, of course.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The tinted visor that Morgan Geekie wore for two games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars in January could help mute the lights’ harshness.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Seoul 1988 Retinal Eye Cream Viral for using retinal (stronger than retinol) in a liposome delivery system for smoother texture without harshness.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Depending on the severity, menopause symptoms can affect a woman’s quality of life.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The severity of the weather was aggravated by heat in Chicago, where highs were reaching over 90 degrees.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roughness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughness. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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