WordGarden.iorough
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈʌf/
US
- /ˈrəf/
Meanings
Adjective
not smooth; coarse or uneven to the touch
approximate or basic rather than exact or fully detailed
harsh, severe, or unpleasantly difficult
More meaningsFewer meanings
rude, crude, or lacking social polish
Beyond the definition
Something "rough" is usually not smooth, gentle, or easy. It can describe a surface that feels bumpy like sandpaper, a voice that sounds harsh, or a time in life that feels hard and tiring. A "rough draft" is a first version that is still messy, and a "rough estimate" is only an approximate guess, not an exact number. Think of a rough sea during a storm; it is wild instead of calm.
The word can also describe people and behavior. If someone has had a "rough day," they have gone through trouble or setbacks. If a person seems "rough around the edges," they may lack polish or social grace, but they are not always unkind. In general, "rough" suggests unevenness, difficulty, or a lack of finish.
The word "rough" has a surprising number of meanings, but they all share the core idea of being uneven, harsh, or lacking refinement. Physically, it describes textures like coarse wood, weathered skin, or a potholed road. If you run your hand across a brick wall, you are feeling a "rough" surface.
Beyond touch, "rough" moves into sound, weather, and daily life. A rough voice is hoarse or harsh, while a rough sea, rough weather, or a rough flight suggests violent movement or difficult conditions. In a social sense, a "rough neighborhood" is one where life may feel unsafe or hard. We also use it to describe personal experience; having a "rough time" or a "rough day" means facing problems, stress, or emotional hardship.
"Rough" is also an essential term for things in their preliminary or approximate stages. A "rough draft" or a "rough sketch" is an early version that is not polished yet. A "rough estimate" or a "rough idea" gives the general sense of something without claiming to be exact. In this meaning, the word points to something unfinished, inexact, or still being worked out.
Figuratively, the word describes character, treatment, and behavior. Someone "rough around the edges" may be blunt, unpolished, or lacking fine manners. If people "play rough" or if someone is treated in a rough way, the meaning shifts toward force, carelessness, or even violence. The word can also suggest simple, unrefined quality, as in "rough wood" or "rough work." Whether you are describing a physical object, a sound, a situation, an estimate, or a person's manner, "rough" signals that something is uneven, hard, forceful, or not fully polished.
Examples
- 1
Road condition
The road gets rough after the bridge, so drive slowly.
- 2
Travel trouble
We had a rough flight because of the storm.
- 3
Difficult week
I've had a rough week at work, so I'm staying in tonight.
- 4
Family impact
The divorce was especially rough on the children.
- Patternrough on + person
hard for that person to deal with
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Approximate number
She gave me a rough estimate of the repair cost.
- Phraserough estimate
an approximate number, not an exact one
- 6
Early writing
This is only a rough draft, so I still need to fix a few parts.
- Phraserough draft
an early version, not the finished one
- 7
Unsafe area
They used to live in a rough part of the city.
- 8
Play behavior
Don't play too rough with your little brother.
- 9
Voice quality
His voice still sounded rough after the cold.
- 10
Social polish
He's a little rough around the edges, but people trust him.
- Phraserough around the edges
not polished or socially smooth
See also
Forms and spellings
6 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- roughverbadjectiveadverb
Forms
- roughercomparativeadjectiveadverbverb
- roughing-ing formverbadjectiveadverb
- roughedpast tenseverbadjectiveadverb
- roughestsuperlativeadjectiveadverbverb
- roughsverbadjectiveadverb