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
There were areas that felt intimate and communal, contrasted by the industrial bones of the space, exposed materials, scale, and a certain roughness that kept it from feeling too polished.
—
Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026
The roughness has to do with our times.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Tiny imperfections, including surface roughness, slight misalignments, and stray electrical charges, can destabilize the trap.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
The unique roughness of the PR cobbles is his biggest obstacle.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The coaster features seven inversions, and was plagued by complaints for its roughness after its debut.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
In the final two minutes and overtime, the limits expand to include unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct.
—Nick Harris
april 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Interest in imperfection, roughness, and asymmetry was already growing in the digital era before AI arrived.
—Andrey Mir, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
There is still a little roughness around the edges.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 25 Mar. 2026
Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026
The roughness has to do with our times.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Tiny imperfections, including surface roughness, slight misalignments, and stray electrical charges, can destabilize the trap.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
The unique roughness of the PR cobbles is his biggest obstacle.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The coaster features seven inversions, and was plagued by complaints for its roughness after its debut.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
In the final two minutes and overtime, the limits expand to include unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct.
—Nick Harris
april 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Interest in imperfection, roughness, and asymmetry was already growing in the digital era before AI arrived.
—Andrey Mir, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
There is still a little roughness around the edges.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughness
Noun
-
The state said Hollis was wrong for harboring bitterness toward him.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to the scallions, half a cup of whole parsley leaves adds a grassy depth and pleasant bitterness to this salad.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
What was His message in turning over the tables, besides showing His rudeness?—
John Kenney,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
But if there truly is an epidemic of canine defecation in your area, then the solution is not to turn up the rudeness volume, but to appeal to a system or organization that addresses public health or the care of public spaces.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On the eastern edge of the state, Sioux Falls is best known for Falls Park, where the Big Sioux River spills over wide stretches of pink quartzite rock.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 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
-
Two Boys Fighting Over a Bladder (circa 1767–1770) suggests that the latter view has bite.—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The wing’s bark pairs with plenty of bite.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But many seemingly urbane texts also benefited from the intellectual and moral coarseness of their times.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The term plant texture refers to the fineness or coarseness, roughness or smoothness, heaviness or lightness of a particular plant.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Concrete and glass meet at sharp angles, while a curved courtyard wall softens the harshness.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Sunlight naturally sanitizes, and air drying prevents the harshness of high heat.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the severity of the South Carolina outbreak, Edwards considers the public health response a success.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The actual severity of any shortcomings at OpenAI and how far any weaknesses could spread remain open questions, Yardeni said.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roughness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughness. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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