roughs 1 of 2

Definition of roughsnext
plural of rough

roughs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rough
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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughs
Noun
  • The gangland drama is deeper and darker than the domestic one, strengthened by the unexpected portrayal of the Russian toughs as bumbling in their own way.
    Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Cazale played the title character, an older man who becomes lost in Manhattan and is harassed by two young toughs, one of whom was portrayed by Pacino.
    René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
  • After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.
    Megan Sauer Tasia Jensen, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In fact, the GTW ruffians have to give the Big Honey some props for his relative restraint in the heat of the moment.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Ciri, unbeknowest to her surrogate ma and pa, is free of her Nilfgaardian captors and on the run with a band of adolescent ruffians, and perhaps figuring out how to take care of herself.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Consider two investors, one who invests $7,500 at the beginning of the year, and another who chops it up into $288 biweekly investments.
    Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
  • The proposal chops $150 million from the Developmental Disabilities Administration, which battled against the largest budget cut in last year's negotiations.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.
    Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Mayor vows to catch 'thugs who did this' Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards promised that law enforcement will catch the people responsible for the violence at the mall.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Bain would immediately give the Dolphins an elite, powerful edge defender who mauls blockers in front of him and fits the 4-3 base defense coach Jeff Hafley wants to play as a traditional defensive end.
    Kenny Rosarion, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Martin mauls Arlington in 8-6A Arlington Martin got 20 points from Steven Reynolds III and 18 more from Levi Moore as the Warriors blasted Arlington 92-46 in a District 8-6A game on Thursday.
    Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In the past decade, the leadership of the Kinahan organization has become rich and cosmopolitan, and their life styles have started to resemble those of international businessmen more than of street hoodlums.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The first pictures McCullin took were of hoodlums and down-and-outs, subjects that reflected his own hardscrabble background.
    Andrew Pulver, Air Mail, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • With runners on the corners, Martinez whacks a two-run, RBI double to tie it at five.
    Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Then little Holly Wheeler and her 10-year-old friends, including the Season 5 favorite Derek (Jake Connelly), all swarm into the basement and take over the D&D table in a passing of the torch that basically whacks the audience over our collective heads.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Roughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughs. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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