Word
Definitions
01not smooth
A2 · Elementary
adj. having an uneven surface that is not smooth to the touch.
adj. having an uneven or irregular surface; not smooth or polished.
日本語:ざらざらした、大まかな※
“The bark of the old oak tree felt rough against my hand.”
“The mountain path became increasingly rough as we ascended, with loose stones making every step a potential hazard.”
02approximate
B1 · Intermediate
adj. not exact or detailed; a quick guess or a basic version.
adj. not fully worked out or detailed; approximate or preliminary in nature.
日本語:大まか※
“I can give you a rough estimate of the cost by tomorrow morning.”
“The architect presented a rough sketch of the proposed extension to give the clients a general sense of the spatial layout.”
Synonyms
03difficult or unpleasant
B1 · Intermediate
adj. difficult to deal with or causing suffering.
adj. characterised by hardship, difficulty, or unpleasant conditions.
“He had a rough day at work and just wanted to go home.”
“The local economy went through a rough patch following the closure of the main manufacturing plant in the valley.”
04dangerous or violent
B1 · Intermediate
adj. a place that is dangerous or a person who uses too much force.
adj. characterised by violence, disorder, or a lack of gentleness.
“The neighborhood used to be quite rough, but it is much safer now.”
“The referee warned the players that he would not tolerate rough play during the second half of the match.”
05feeling unwell
B2 · Upper Intermediate British English · Informal
adj. feeling sick or tired, often because of a lack of sleep or too much alcohol.
adj. feeling unwell or physically exhausted; frequently used to describe the effects of a hangover.
“I'm feeling a bit rough this morning after staying up so late.”
“He looked remarkably rough during the meeting, clearly suffering the consequences of the previous night's celebrations.”
06golf course grass
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Sports
n. the area of long grass on a golf course.
n. the area of long, unmown grass bordering the fairway on a golf course.
“His ball landed in the rough, making his next shot very difficult.”
“The tournament organisers deliberately allowed the rough to grow longer to increase the difficulty of the final round.”
Antonyms
07to live simply
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. to live without comfort or basic things for a short time, like when camping.
v. to live in uncomfortable or primitive conditions, typically by choice or necessity.
“We decided to rough it in a tent for the weekend instead of booking a hotel.”
“The researchers had to rough it in the jungle for three months while they tracked the migration patterns of the local wildlife.”
Usage
Usually used in the phrase 'rough it'.
Synonyms
08in a harsh way
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. acting in a way that is not gentle.
adv. in a manner that lacks gentleness or refinement.
“Don't play rough with the puppy or you might hurt him.”
“The political campaign started to play rough as the election date approached, with both sides releasing aggressive advertisements.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'play rough'.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “rough” in context.
Verb
01. feel rough
“I drank too much coffee and now I feel a bit rough.”
verb + adj
02. give a rough estimate
“Can you give a rough estimate of how many people are coming to the party?”
verb + adj + noun
03. have a rough time
“She had a rough time at work this week because her boss was away.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
04. extremely rough
“The sea was extremely rough during the storm, making the passengers feel sick.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. rough idea
“I don't know the exact price, but I have a rough idea of how much it will cost.”
adj + noun
06. rough patch
“Their marriage went through a rough patch last year, but they are doing better now.”
adj + noun
07. rough surface
“The wall has a rough surface, so be careful not to scratch your hand.”
adj + noun
Etymology
From Middle English rough, roughe, roȝe, row, rou, ru, ruȝ, ruh, from Old English rūg, rūh, from Proto-Germanic *rūhaz. Cognate with Scots ruch, rouch (“rough”), Saterland Frisian ruuch, rouch (“rough”), West Frisian rûch (“rough”), Low German ruuch (“rough”), Dutch ruig (“rough”), German rau(h) (“rough”), Danish ru (“uneven on the surface, "rough", "rugged"”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
01. cut up rough
03. rough and ready
05. rough justice
06. rough out
07. rough patch
08. rough sledding
09. rough sleeper
10. rough trot
Show all 11
11. sleep rough
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0