# rough

/ˈɹəf/ (US) · /ɹˈʌf/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rough
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. not smooth

adjective · CEFR A2

having an uneven surface that is not smooth to the touch.

For teachers: having an uneven or irregular surface; not smooth or polished.

- 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.

### 2. approximate

adjective · CEFR B1

not exact or detailed; a quick guess or a basic version.

For teachers: not fully worked out or detailed; approximate or preliminary in nature.

- 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.

### 3. difficult or unpleasant

adjective · CEFR B1

difficult to deal with or causing suffering.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. dangerous or violent

adjective · CEFR B1

a place that is dangerous or a person who uses too much force.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. feeling unwell

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

feeling sick or tired, often because of a lack of sleep or too much alcohol.

For teachers: 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.

### 6. golf course grass

noun · CEFR B2

the area of long grass on a golf course.

For teachers: 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.

### 7. to live simply

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to live without comfort or basic things for a short time, like when camping.

For teachers: 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'.

### 8. in a harsh way

adverb · CEFR B2

acting in a way that is not gentle.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- He hit the ball into the rough and lost it.
- The golfer struggled to reach the green after her tee shot landed deep in the rough.
- Tournament officials intentionally allowed the rough to grow taller than usual to challenge the precision of the professional players during the championship weekend.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.