gruff

1 of 2

adjective

ˈgrəf

: rough, brusque, or stern in manner, speech, or aspect

a gruff reply

: being deep and harsh : hoarse

a gruff voice

gruffly adverb

gruffness noun

gruff

2 of 2

verb

gruffed; gruffing; gruffs

transitive verb

: to utter in a gruff voice or manner

"Get out of bed now!" gruffed the sergeant.

Example Sentences

Adjective Don't be fooled by his gruff manner—he's really very kind. He spoke in a gruff voice.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The show entailed a fictional character named Dr. Gregory House that was gruff, insufferable, and quite unconventional, yet he was portrayed as a medical genius that could ferret out the most obscure of diseases and ailments.

Lance Eliot, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 Yet, that polished and elegant shape is offset by the gruff sturdiness of that all-American, Eminem-core denim.

Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 29 June 2022 Cavanaugh is an old-school coach who can appear a bit gruff.

Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 27 June 2022 Gee’s voice is gruff and his delivery is breathless, each line dense with drug-deal detail and matter-of-fact tales of murder.

Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 1 June 2022 Hernandez was a gruff old guy, and a heavy drinker, but Anarchy Row is a relatively welcoming place.

Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 23 June 2022 Some of the most poignant scenes portray the unlikely friendship that develops between Issam and Frank (Mark Camacho), the family’s initially gruff sponsor.

Vanessa H. Larson, Washington Post, 9 June 2022 Paul Folkestad, another chef instructor at Western Culinary, said Brophy’s gruff exterior alienated some students, while others cherished him.

oregonlive, 28 May 2022 Tuscans have a reputation for being rough and gruff, and Collodi—habitually wry, sardonic, iconoclastic—was an excellent representative of his province.

Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 6 June 2022

Verb

Devs, normally gruff with his postgame talks, couldn’t hide his pleasure.

James Hookway, WSJ, 16 May 2022 Pompeo, often gruff in interactions with reporters, is a skilled retail politician and, although not a soaring orator, is adept at holding an audience’s attention.

David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 2 Mar. 2021 See More

gruff

adjective

as in hoarse

harsh and dry in sound she had a gruff speaking voice, but a surprisingly sweet singing voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

hoarse
husky
gravelly
raspy
throaty
rasping
coarse
rusty
scratchy
grating
growling
gravel
croaky
croaking
guttural
abrasive
strained
choked
growly
strident
rough
raucous
strangled
jarring
cracked
grinding
scratching
screeching
discordant
scraping
squawking
dissonant
cacophonous
cawing
inharmonious
unmelodious
unmusical

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gentle
sweet
mellow
mellifluous
soothing
golden
tender
liquid
smooth
soft
velvety
mellifluent
silken
melodic
melodious
lyrical
satiny
musical
gliding
lyric
euphonious

as in stern

harsh and threatening in manner or appearance I didn't exchange one word with the gruff mountaineer who sat next to me in the diner

Synonyms & Similar Words

stern
intimidating
grim
fierce
rugged
hostile
forbidding
rough
bleak
dour
stark
severe
flinty
ungentle
steely
hardened
stubborn
austere
lowering
cold
somber
dark
moody
louring
unsympathetic
unfriendly
solemn
resolute
black
stiff
unflinching
determined
inhospitable
steadfast
surly
implacable
adamant
sullen
obstinate
uncompromising
unbending
rigid
unyielding
obdurate
hardheaded
morose
mulish
sulky
unrelenting
inflexible
unsmiling
humorless
inimical
melancholy
intent
brooding
willful
serious
bound
firm
purposeful
melancholic
cheerless
immovable
glum
resolved
fixed
gloomy
hard
unchangeable
joyless
staid
immutable
set
wilful
sober
ironhanded
self-willed
grave
weighty
sombre
sobersided

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gentle
mild
meek
benign
soft
mellow
tender
bland
quiet
soothing
benignant
sweet
cheerful
easy
pleasant
tranquil
agreeable
bright
nonintimidating
goofy
lighthearted
playful
happy
mirthful
pleasing
silly
merry
inviting
glad
sunny
scatterbrained
giddy
frivolous
flighty
harebrained
featherbrained
light-headed

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of gruff are bluff, blunt, brusque, crusty, and curt. While all these words mean "abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner," gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose

While the synonyms bluff and gruff are close in meaning, bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

While in some cases nearly identical to gruff, blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

The meanings of brusque and gruff largely overlap; however, brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

Although the words crusty and gruff have much in common, crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

The synonyms curt and gruff are sometimes interchangeable, but curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

单词	gruff
释义	gruff 1 of 2 adjective ˈgrəf 1 : rough, brusque, or stern in manner, speech, or aspect a gruff reply 2 : being deep and harsh : hoarse a gruff voice gruffly adverb gruffness noun gruff 2 of 2 verb gruffed; gruffing; gruffs transitive verb : to utter in a gruff voice or manner "Get out of bed now!" gruffed the sergeant. Synonyms Adjective coarse croaking croaky grating gravel gravelly hoarse husky rasping raspy rusty scratchy throaty See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Adjective Don't be fooled by his gruff manner—he's really very kind. He spoke in a gruff voice. Recent Examples on the Web Adjective The show entailed a fictional character named Dr. Gregory House that was gruff, insufferable, and quite unconventional, yet he was portrayed as a medical genius that could ferret out the most obscure of diseases and ailments. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 Yet, that polished and elegant shape is offset by the gruff sturdiness of that all-American, Eminem-core denim. Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 29 June 2022 Cavanaugh is an old-school coach who can appear a bit gruff. Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 27 June 2022 Gee’s voice is gruff and his delivery is breathless, each line dense with drug-deal detail and matter-of-fact tales of murder. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 1 June 2022 Hernandez was a gruff old guy, and a heavy drinker, but Anarchy Row is a relatively welcoming place. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 23 June 2022 Some of the most poignant scenes portray the unlikely friendship that develops between Issam and Frank (Mark Camacho), the family’s initially gruff sponsor. Vanessa H. Larson, Washington Post, 9 June 2022 Paul Folkestad, another chef instructor at Western Culinary, said Brophy’s gruff exterior alienated some students, while others cherished him. oregonlive, 28 May 2022 Tuscans have a reputation for being rough and gruff, and Collodi—habitually wry, sardonic, iconoclastic—was an excellent representative of his province. Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 6 June 2022 Verb Devs, normally gruff with his postgame talks, couldn’t hide his pleasure. James Hookway, WSJ, 16 May 2022 Pompeo, often gruff in interactions with reporters, is a skilled retail politician and, although not a soaring orator, is adept at holding an audience’s attention. David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 2 Mar. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Adjective Dutch grof; akin to Old High German grob coarse, hruf scurf — more at dandruff Verb derivative of gruff entry 1 First Known Use Adjective 1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb 1706, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition gruff adjective ˈgrəf gruffer; gruffest : rough in speech or manner a gruff reply gruff adjective 1 as in hoarse harsh and dry in sound she had a gruff speaking voice, but a surprisingly sweet singing voice Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance hoarse husky gravelly raspy throaty rasping coarse rusty scratchy grating growling gravel croaky croaking guttural abrasive strained choked growly strident rough raucous strangled jarring cracked grinding scratching screeching discordant scraping squawking dissonant cacophonous cawing inharmonious unmelodious unmusical Antonyms & Near Antonyms gentle sweet mellow mellifluous soothing golden tender liquid smooth soft velvety mellifluent silken melodic melodious lyrical satiny musical gliding lyric euphonious See More 2 as in stern harsh and threatening in manner or appearance I didn't exchange one word with the gruff mountaineer who sat next to me in the diner Synonyms & Similar Words stern intimidating grim fierce rugged hostile forbidding rough bleak dour stark severe flinty ungentle steely hardened stubborn austere lowering cold somber dark moody louring unsympathetic unfriendly solemn resolute black stiff unflinching determined inhospitable steadfast surly implacable adamant sullen obstinate uncompromising unbending rigid unyielding obdurate hardheaded morose mulish sulky unrelenting inflexible unsmiling humorless inimical melancholy intent brooding willful serious bound firm purposeful melancholic cheerless immovable glum resolved fixed gloomy hard unchangeable joyless staid immutable set wilful sober ironhanded self-willed grave weighty sombre sobersided Antonyms & Near Antonyms gentle mild meek benign soft mellow tender bland quiet soothing benignant sweet cheerful easy pleasant tranquil agreeable bright nonintimidating goofy lighthearted playful happy mirthful pleasing silly merry inviting glad sunny scatterbrained giddy frivolous flighty harebrained featherbrained light-headed See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of gruff are bluff, blunt, brusque, crusty, and curt. While all these words mean "abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner," gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness. puts on a gruff pose While the synonyms bluff and gruff are close in meaning, bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality. a bluff manner While in some cases nearly identical to gruff, blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings. a blunt appraisal The meanings of brusque and gruff largely overlap; however, brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness. a brusque response Although the words crusty and gruff have much in common, crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness. a crusty exterior The synonyms curt and gruff are sometimes interchangeable, but curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness. a curt command
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gruff

adjective

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser