rough-hewn

adjective

ˈrəf-ˈhyün How to pronounce rough-hewn (audio)
Definition of rough-hewnnext
1
as in clumsy
hastily or roughly constructed a survivalist living in a rough-hewn shelter in the wilderness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste a rough-hewn kid who had to learn how to behave properly in polite company

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance rough-hewn military cadets feeling a little self-conscious at their first formal dance

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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-hewn Limón, 46, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, has a much calmer personality than many of her rough-hewn male predecessors. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026 The refined contemporary interiors are punctuated throughout with terrazzo floors, warm wood paneling, and rough-hewn stone pillars. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 4 May 2026 In Maine, Graham Platner, a rough-hewn populist who had to cover up a Nazi tattoo, looks set to handily beat Janet Mills, the polished seventy-eight-year-old incumbent governor. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026 As the title suggests, Music In Continuous Motion picks up right where its predecessor left off, with Orcutt assembling overdubbed guitar lines into brief, interlocking pieces that balance rough-hewn primitivism against painterly precision. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rough-hewn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough-hewn
  1. clumsy
  2. crass
  3. uncomfortable
  4. rough
  5. vulgar
  6. uneasy
  7. rude
  8. coarse
Adjective
  • Such a feature would neatly get around the need for clumsy remote control sessions to interact with AI agents running on a distant Mac.
    — Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The head coach was clumsy in his response, saying — in effect — that the player is better suited to being an impact substitute and taking advantage of tiring opposition defenders.
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • Like a more crass, animated Seinfeld, Rocko deals with the mundanities and absurdities of daily life.
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026
  • With the games having kicked off, the sport has shown its ineffable power to supplant crass and capitalistic overreach.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • Despite the full lineup and passionate patriotic crowd in Seattle, Team USA looked uncomfortable from the start, fell behind early, made sloppy mistakes and could not keep up with the Belgians, who move on to face Spain in the quarterfinals.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • Upworthy reported that constant multitasking and algorithm-driven content have trained a lot of people’s brains to treat stillness as uncomfortable, pointing out that the average person keeps five to 10 browser tabs open at once.
    — Allison Palmer July 7, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • Mariana is not pleased to hear this, and he's got some rough-looking dudes with him.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Dual suspension helps smooth rough trails, hydraulic disc brakes provide dependable stopping power in changing conditions, and four-inch fat tires improve traction across gravel, dirt, sand, and pavement.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • Sean Goode, a former Canton police sergeant who was working the night of John O'Keefe's death and testified during the first Karen Read trial, allegedly sent dozens of vulgar text messages, according to an independent investigation.
    — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • Others were removed early on for vulgar or inappropriate comments, according to a PGA Tour source with knowledge of the events, with five spectators in total ejected from the tournament with six holes to go.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • The company and the government have since seemed to settle into an uneasy truce.
    — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • But some retirees remain uneasy about security concerns, healthcare quality, and property ownership structures.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • It’s considered rude to answer one’s phone on public transport or in a restaurant, for example.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
  • When healths were raised during the eighteenth century, it was considered rude or antisocial not to go along with them.
    — Brooke Barbier, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • Many alternative plant fibers are shorter, coarser and less elastic than cotton or wool, complicating processing on conventional machinery.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 7 July 2026
  • Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Definition of coarse

Browse Nearby Words

roughens
rough-hewn
roughhouse
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Cite this Entry

“Rough-hewn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough-hewn. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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