gruff
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sprawling, gruff, imposing and, at times, intimidating, the city would never be mistaken for Paris, Rome, London or even Berlin.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Stout and slightly gruff, Dipper has a digital face that can approximate more than 40 expressions.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
He stays gruff, of course, but you sense that Ray is as manacled by his authoritarian role as Colin literally is in his hungry, slurping devotion to his master.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
Sullivan—a gruff Irish-Catholic variety-show host who could make or break careers—dropped a folder on the table, a dossier of FBI and press clippings, and asked bluntly:
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026
“Here’s your ticket,” the gruff voice said, and looking up, they found that it came from a huge Brown Bear who was wearing a coat with brass buttons and a peaked cap on his head.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
Vocabulary lists containing gruff
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon
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Auggie & Me
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