as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste
their roughneck antics were amusing only if you were as drunk as they were
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a group of roughnecks like to hang out at the roadhouse and harass people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of roughneck
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
Solomon’s estranged roughneck father (Chris Bauer) hawks macho health supplements and scams Solomon into becoming one of his salesmen.
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Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 June 2025
William Earl,
Variety,
22 Dec. 2025
His job as the titular landman is to secure leases for oil extraction, to manage crews of roughnecks, and to deal with local government and police.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roughneck
Adjective
The show seems organically suited for a more action comedy take, given Hooker’s old style and often roughneck crime fighting style, which seemed out of place in a more woke world.
—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
Solomon’s estranged roughneck father (Chris Bauer) hawks macho health supplements and scams Solomon into becoming one of his salesmen.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 June 2025
Noun
Beyond his duties as a host and journalist, the native West Texan spent time working as an oil roughneck himself, and grew up in a family with members in the fields.
—
William Earl,
Variety,
22 Dec. 2025
His job as the titular landman is to secure leases for oil extraction, to manage crews of roughnecks, and to deal with local government and police.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roughneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughneck
Adjective
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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.
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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.
Noun
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Alyssa Thomas' thug-like play, punching Caitlin Clark in the throat and kneeing her in the groin, is indefensible.
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Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.
Adjective
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Like a more crass, animated Seinfeld, Rocko deals with the mundanities and absurdities of daily life.
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With the games having kicked off, the sport has shown its ineffable power to supplant crass and capitalistic overreach.
Noun
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One of the first films of its kind, this lesbian gangster heist thriller delivers suspense and humor.
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The 16 reputed gangsters or aspiring gangsters charged in the indictment range in age from 19 to 24.
Adjective
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Due Amici brings Brooklyn roots and authenticity, right down to the counter service that’s not rude but not exactly warm.
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It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.
Noun
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Data that appears to be compliance information to a regulator can appear to be a target list to a criminal.
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The Colorado attorney general oversees more than 700 attorneys and staff and manages legal manners spanning consumer protection, civil rights, criminal, water, constitutional and environmental law.
Adjective
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To create your own mix, use a combination of two parts potting soil and one part perlite or coarse sand to grow your spider plant in.
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The varying sizes of these tools suggest threads of different thicknesses, and that indicates both finer and coarser textiles, and likely the use of a range of raw materials.
Noun
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There are probably easier ways to mount a crime thriller steeped in gritty realism than centering it on a villain made of gas.
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That doesn’t mean Netherlands players are villains, or anything less than heroes for their country.
Cite this Entry
“Roughneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughneck. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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