rough-and-ready

adjective

ˌrə-fən-ˈre-dē How to pronounce rough-and-ready (audio)
Definition of rough-and-readynext
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed a rough-and-ready shack that the explorers threw together as winter approached

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rough-and-ready James meets rough-and-ready cowboy Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) upon arrival in Fort Worth and joins his wagon train heading West. — Rendy Jones, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Feb. 2026 Black South African soccer developed its own clubs, its own superstars, and its own rough-and-ready style. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026 The brand showed off its novel approach to creating a modern version of a vintage Land Rover Defender replete with switch panels for off-road performance and accessories and a rough-and-ready chassis design. — Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025 Star chefs from Japan and abroad are shaking up the dining scene with inventive gastronomy, though delicious casual eats from rough-and-ready street stalls and mom-and-pop shops are still Osaka's calling card. — Melinda Joe, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rough-and-ready
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-and-ready
  1. clumsy
  2. rough
  3. rude
  4. rough-and-tumble
  5. primitive
  6. rudimentary
  7. flawed
  8. imperfect
Adjective
  • Here, his clumsy, winky, affected, and self-undercutting direction can’t even work the charming Jenna Ortega to a great performance, as her Klara is flattened into a bundle of manic pixie mannerisms both physical and verbal.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Some Latinas are nerds, and some Latinas are quirky, and some of them are goofy and some of them are clumsy.
    — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • The Pistons have raced out to a hot start, while the Knicks are still searching for answers after a rough opening week.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Molcajetes constructed of lava rock with pits creating a rough and not smooth nor easily cleanable surface were in the facility.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • While older generations may interpret limited eye contact, a flat expression or a pause before responding as rude, lazy or unprofessional, that might not be a younger person’s intent at all, Leahy said.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Bel glows with a kind of rude Californian health and goes once a week for chiropractic adjustments, including of her jaw.
    — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
    — Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Definition of rough-and-tumble
Adjective
  • American consumers deserved bargains on digital watches, pocket calculators, and primitive computers.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Working with the era's primitive technology, Margaret thought through the various mishaps that could occur on a spaceflight and designed the software to handle every contingency.
    — Dean Robbins, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • My Arabic, French, and Berber language skills are also rudimentary.
    — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For a while, Crystal Lake hews closely to the very rudimentary mythology introduced in Sean Cunningham’s original movie.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of rudimentary
Adjective
  • Perhaps less exciting is the fact her failures are more than just the flawed Edison machine.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
  • From a charismatic Formula 1 racing legend to a brilliant but flawed soccer god to a troubled, tragic singer, Academy Award-winning docmaker Asif Kapadia has made a career out of telling the stories of larger-than-life figures.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of flawed
Adjective
  • Their vastly different theatrical releases make those grosses an imperfect referendum on audience tastes, but the disparity illustrates how differently the industry markets stories about desire.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Bold, imperfect beauty looks and paired with personalized scents that are set to shape beauty next year.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of imperfect

Browse Nearby Words

rough
rough-and-ready
rough-and-tumble
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Cite this Entry

“Rough-and-ready.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-and-ready. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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