as in unpolished
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Recent Examples of rough-edged
Andor is charming and rough-edged, a solo space cowboy accustomed to hustling his own way.
—
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Here we are faced with an aesthetic that is indeed poetic, but also austere; contemplative, yet analytical, critical—at times even rough-edged.
—Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 14 May 2025
One of the things Sean Baker does exceptionally well is draw us into a vivid and highly specific milieu, nurturing our affections for characters who are rough-edged, to put it mildly, and then whip up a vortex of steadily escalating chaos.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
Foster’s version of Sarah was more defiant and rough-edged than the producers and the director, Jonathan Kaplan, wanted.
—Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2024
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Here we are faced with an aesthetic that is indeed poetic, but also austere; contemplative, yet analytical, critical—at times even rough-edged.
—Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 14 May 2025
One of the things Sean Baker does exceptionally well is draw us into a vivid and highly specific milieu, nurturing our affections for characters who are rough-edged, to put it mildly, and then whip up a vortex of steadily escalating chaos.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
Foster’s version of Sarah was more defiant and rough-edged than the producers and the director, Jonathan Kaplan, wanted.
—Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-edged
Adjective
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The charm of these biographies, however, lies in their authenticity – the small spelling missteps and unpolished phrasing that reflect genuine middle school voices.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Sumter blends history, nature, and community spirit in a way that feels refreshingly unpolished.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Those songs both ended with squalls of noise, hinting at Bash’s interest in more uncouth arrangements.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
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Trump's uncouth behavior barely rates a headline anymore, so frequent are the examples.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The book on Stowers is an elite athlete with high-level receiving production but an unrefined blocker who is limited in that area.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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The whimsical, unrefined aesthetic appeals to Gen Z readers nostalgic for Y2K collectibles.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The brand has come to signify rugged, often uncultured New York grit, its actual working-class relevance and celebration in seminal rap lyrics feeding internet snarkers’ stereotypes of city dwellers.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Jan. 2026
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Just the opposite: The slipup shows how culture pervades even my uncultured moments.—
Harmon Siegel,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In Maine, Graham Platner, a rough-hewn populist who had to cover up a Nazi tattoo, looks set to handily beat Janet Mills, the polished seventy-eight-year-old incumbent governor.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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The couple created Boni’s as a slightly more rough-hewn and masculine version of their bespoke sister restaurant.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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From blazing stars and diminutive buttercups to uncultivated roses and sunflowers, the Midwest is blessed with many gorgeous native wildflowers.—
Erika Ebsworth-Goold,
Midwest Living,
20 Apr. 2026
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Down these uncultivated paths, Horace’s Lydia, Tibullus’s Delia, and Ovid’s Corinna had passed, but only Virgil’s Philomela remained.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The word was considered so vulgar that it was left out of early dictionaries and was rarely printed, though Adams says people were certainly using it.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
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One day, Dahlstrom made a vulgar joke in a lunchroom referencing oral sex and pubic hair, according to the employee.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fine jewelry has been separated from the trashy costume stuff.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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Much of what Amazing Stories published was forgettable to trashy, but there was still in Gernsback’s own inimitably goofy manner a stunning optimism, a vision that the future could perhaps be better than the present.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rough-edged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-edged. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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