rugged
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
having a rough, uneven surface, especially with rocks and few plants.
describing land or terrain that is broken, rocky, and difficult to travel across.
Simple“The hikers struggled to cross the rugged landscape of the high mountains.”
In context“The rugged coastline of northern Scotland offers breathtaking views but presents significant challenges for those attempting to build permanent structures near the cliffs.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
strong and able to handle difficult conditions or hard work.
possessing qualities of physical strength, durability, and the ability to withstand hardship.
Simple“You need a rugged pair of boots if you plan to go trekking in the jungle.”
In context“The expedition required rugged individuals who could endure weeks of isolation and extreme cold without complaint.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
designed to work reliably in very difficult or dirty environments.
specifically engineered to operate in harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures, moisture, or high vibration.
Simple“The construction crew used rugged tablets that wouldn't break if dropped in the mud.”
In context“The military specifies rugged hardware for field operations to ensure that communication remains stable despite the physical shocks of transport.”
Synonymsheavy dutyindustrial gradeAntonymsconsumer grade
Usage rugged terrain
“The helicopter crashed in a rugged area in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination in the country, local media reported.”
From Middle English rugged, roggyd, ruggyd, derived from Old Norse rǫgg (“tuft, shagginess”), equivalent to rug (“rough, woollen material”) + -ed. Compare Old Swedish ruggoter (“wrinkled”), Swedish rugga (“to roughen”), Swedish ruggig (“shaggy”), Icelandic rögg (“shagginess”), Old Norse raggaðr (“tufted”), dialectal Danish raggad (“shaggy”).
From rug + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.