# roughly

/ˈɹəfɫi/ (US) · /ɹˈʌfli/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. approximately

adverb · CEFR B1

about or nearly; you use this when you are giving a number or amount that is not exact.

For teachers: approximately or nearly; used to indicate that a figure or estimate is imprecise but close to the actual value.

- The journey to the airport takes roughly forty-five minutes depending on the traffic.
- The project is expected to cost roughly three million dollars, though that figure may fluctuate as material costs change.

### 2. with force

adverb · CEFR B2

in a hard, violent, or unkind way.

For teachers: in a manner lacking gentleness or care; characterized by physical force or harshness.

- The guards handled the heavy boxes roughly, and one of them broke.
- He was pushed roughly aside by the crowd as they rushed toward the platform to catch the last train.

### 3. without detail

adverb · CEFR B2

done in a simple or quick way without focusing on small details.

For teachers: in a basic or preliminary manner; without fine detail or precision.

- She roughly sketched the map on a napkin to show us the way.
- The initial prototype was roughly assembled from spare parts just to demonstrate that the mechanical concept was viable.

## Examples

- The trip takes roughly three hours by car.
- The project will cost roughly five thousand dollars, though the final price depends on the materials we choose.
- The researchers estimated that roughly two-thirds of the population had access to clean water before the new infrastructure was built, highlighting a significant gap in public services.

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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.