Meaning & use
Gruff
Last updated
Having a rough, low voice or a brusque, unfriendly manner.
See it in a sentence
The old shopkeeper had a gruff voice but was secretly kind to every child who came in.
Her gruff reply surprised him, since she was usually so cheerful.
A note on using this word
Often describes a voice or manner that sounds harsher than the person actually is, especially in fiction depicting gruff-but-kind characters.
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