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gruff

See definition of gruff on Dictionary.com
  • adj.bad-tempered, rude
  • adj.rasping in sound

synonyms for gruff

  • blunt
  • boisterous
  • brusque
  • crusty
  • dour
  • grumpy
  • nasty
  • offhand
  • surly
  • abrupt
  • bearish
  • boorish
  • churlish
  • crabbed
  • crabby
  • crude
  • curt
  • discourteous
  • fierce
  • grouchy
  • ill-natured
  • impolite
  • morose
  • rough
  • saturnine
  • short
  • snappy
  • snippy
  • sour
  • sullen
  • truculent
  • uncivil
  • ungracious
  • unmannerly
See also synonyms for: gruffness

antonyms for gruff

MOST RELEVANT
  • cheerful
  • happy
  • kind
  • nice
  • pleasant
  • polite
  • tactful
  • even-tempered
  • soft
  • sweet
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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How to use gruff in a sentence

He’s a gruff, bald, sometimes crude, Jewish guy who names and displays his toupees.
NEW BOOK PUTS KIBOSH ON SENTIMENTALITY OF WWII FILMSKATHI WOLFEAUGUST 27, 2022WASHINGTON BLADE
One can understand why Walter is being played in the way he is—he is your average gruff academic, seemingly detached from the real world around him, and lost in his own head and memories.
‘THE VISITOR’ MAKES A BIZARRE SONG AND DANCE ABOUT ICE CUSTODYTIM TEEMANNOVEMBER 5, 2021THE DAILY BEAST
Close, a gruff iconoclast and minimalist who created Photorealist portraits across five decades, died on Thursday in New York at 81.
HOW A TIME ART CRITIC COVERED CHUCK CLOSE ACROSS THE DECADESANDREW R. CHOWAUGUST 20, 2021TIME
Lindell appears in those ads to hype his pillows with Billy Mays levels of gruff enthusiasm.
MIKE LINDELL’S ‘FRAUD’ ALLEGATIONS ARE EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS THAN YOU MIGHT THINKPHILIP BUMPJUNE 4, 2021WASHINGTON POST
As they were passing a place where the bushes grew thickly by the side of the road, they received a gruff command to halt.
THE COURIER OF THE OZARKSBYRON A. DUNN
The fact was that Benny himself did not know why he liked this stranger who was so gruff at times and so pleasant at others.
THE BOX-CAR CHILDRENGERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
Even the gruff, grumpy, unsociable rhinoceros amiably allowed him to stroke its head with his trunk.
THE FLOATING LIGHT OF THE GOODWIN SANDSR.M. BALLANTYNE
He spoke angrily, and no longer in a low tone, but gruff and loud enough to be heard some distance away.
THE RIVAL CAMPERSRUEL PERLEY SMITH
"Salam Aliekoom," said a gruff voice, as a man with Peer Khan entered the tent.
CONFESSIONS OF A THUGPHILIP MEADOWS TAYLOR
Having jumped about David noisily, but without offering violence, they passed on in obedience to a gruff command.
GOLD-SEEKING ON THE DALTON TRAILARTHUR R. THOMPSON
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
OCTOBER 26, 1985
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capacitor
lightning
DeLorean

WORDS RELATED TO GRUFF

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.