Meaning & use
Roughing
Last updated
Treating something or someone in a rough, forceful, or unrefined manner, or living without ordinary comforts.
See it in a sentence
The campers went roughing it for a week without electricity or running water.
The linebacker was penalized for roughing the quarterback well after the play had ended.
A note on using this word
The phrase 'roughing it' dates to the mid-1800s, popularized by Mark Twain's travel book of the same name. In sports, 'roughing' also names a specific class of penalty.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
A penalty in sports such as football or hockey for excessive physical contact against an opponent, especially one without the ball or puck.
The referee called roughing on the defender for a late hit.
Make it your own
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