1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
a rugged construction that survived for hundreds of years
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2
as in tough
difficult to endure
the incredibly rugged conditions that the polar explorers faced
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3
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
the warrior's rugged features frightened the child
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4
as in muscular
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force
a rugged athlete who's competing in weight lifting in the Olympics
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5
as in jagged
not having a level or smooth surface
rugged terrain that made for slow going
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6
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
even more rugged than most ultramarathons, this one crosses a desert
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7
as in turbulent
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
New Hampshire's Mount Washington has some of the ruggedest weather in all of North America
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8
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste
the kind of rugged humor that men have traditionally enjoyed at stag parties
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rugged
Bluetooth Speaker Deal The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen drops rugged, portable audio into your beach gear by wrapping a clear high-fidelity speaker array inside a shock-absorbent silicone body.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
3 July 2026
Ireland Ireland offers a rare cross-generational appeal, where estate activities and rugged landscapes make for an ideal family itinerary.
—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Soccer shoes in the late 1800s and early 1900s were indistinguishable from the rugged, high leather boots seen on factory floors.
—
Mack Degeurin,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Visitors can hike trails and drive a scenic route through the colorful, rugged Badlands where bison and wild horses roam.
—
Jack Dura,
Fortune,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
3 July 2026
Ireland Ireland offers a rare cross-generational appeal, where estate activities and rugged landscapes make for an ideal family itinerary.
—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Soccer shoes in the late 1800s and early 1900s were indistinguishable from the rugged, high leather boots seen on factory floors.
—
Mack Degeurin,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Visitors can hike trails and drive a scenic route through the colorful, rugged Badlands where bison and wild horses roam.
—
Jack Dura,
Fortune,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for rugged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rugged
Adjective
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
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For your safety, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
Adjective
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MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.
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The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.
Adjective
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Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
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But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
Adjective
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Its muscular composite and Kevlar exterior is finished in a glossy, factory-correct shade of Rosso Corsa, though the car did spend a few years, toward the beginning of its life, painted silver, according to the listing.
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Lagree’s Megaformer, introduced in the early 2000s, has two sliding platforms and was built for higher-intensity work that develops muscular endurance.
Adjective
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Located in Florina, in northwestern Greece, the region lies on a high plateau ringed by jagged peaks, with freshwater lakes below.
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An important entry to the New Queer Cinema canon, Kar-wai’s drama is passionate, moody, and deeply evocative, tracing the jagged edges of an on-again, off-again romance in seedy 1990s Buenos Aires.
Adjective
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Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
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Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.
Adjective
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Weaker global markets, which have impacted tech stock valuations, and the turbulent performance of SpaceX’s recent massive IPO were among the top concerns cited by insiders who have made the case that patience is a virtue.
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His confirmation closes one of the most turbulent presidential searches in UF history.
Adjective
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Like a more crass, animated Seinfeld, Rocko deals with the mundanities and absurdities of daily life.
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With the games having kicked off, the sport has shown its ineffable power to supplant crass and capitalistic overreach.
Cite this Entry
“Rugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rugged. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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