1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough (up)
Verb
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The Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds following the heartbreaking end to the 2024-25 NBA season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025 -
And Lil Wayne agrees by licking my face, which is part of the job description for companion dogs.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
Verb
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According to prosecutors, Maxwell helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse minor girls from about 1994 to about 2004, including girls as young as 14 years old.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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At the time of her death, Sardinha was studying to become a counselor with the hope of working with women who had been abused, her mother told Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael J. Leversen.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
But these unremarkable principles hide a dramatic shift in the relationship between science and government.—
David Michaels,
The Atlantic,
20 July 2025
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More than a month after the shooting, police located the vehicle Orona had driven, hidden on a Buckeye property owned by his girlfriend’s family.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Advertisement Huckabee also visited the Christian community of Taybeh in the West Bank on Saturday after a church was reportedly attacked and vandalized by Israeli settlers.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
22 July 2025
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In June, a woman defaced a Pilsen mural at 16th Street and Ashland Avenue and was accused of attacking another woman who tried to stop her.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
Verb
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That first flight on April 28, 2021, was deep within the COVID-19 pandemic that pounded the airline industry.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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Play was suspended a couple of times because of severe weather, the occasional pounding rain and possibly lightning.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Upon arrival, the alleged victim says he was ambushed by a group of men, including Wallace, who forcibly took him to a private room where Diddy was waiting.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
15 July 2025
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Milwaukee is mourning the loss of Officer Kendall Corder, who, along with partner Christopher McCray, was ambushed in an alleyway while responding to a report of suspect firing a gun.—
Jessica Van Egeren,
jsonline.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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The face of the franchise lashed at a breaking ball in the fifth, pulling a hit onto open grass to double the lead.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
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Following that news, NFL fans have lashed out at the team.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
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He can be physically manhandled when attempting to seal powerful defensive ends and needs to be more assertive with his hands to keep his target engaged as a run blocker.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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So maybe the real culprit is the attempt to manhandle her sensibility into a studio-horror sequel.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Rough (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough%20%28up%29. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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