rugged
adjective
rug·ged ˈrə-gəd 
1
: having a rough uneven surface : jagged
rugged mountains
2
a
: seamed with wrinkles and furrows : weathered —used of a human face
b
: showing facial signs of strength
rugged good looks
3
a
: presenting a severe test of ability, stamina, or resolution
b
: strongly built or constituted : robust
those that survive are stalwart, rugged men
L. D. Stamp
L. D. Stamp4
a
: rough and strong in character
b
: coarse, rude
c
: austere, stern
5
: turbulent, stormy
rugged weather
6
obsolete : shaggy, hairy
ruggedly adverb
ruggedness noun
Synonyms
- cast-iron
- hard
- hard-bitten
- hardened
- hardy
- inured
- stout
- strong
- sturdy
- tough
- toughened
- vigorous
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the rugged surface of the moon She did a painting of the region's rugged coastline. People are attracted to his rugged good looks. I admire her rugged individualism.
Recent Examples on the Web The flames took off at a moderate rate in rugged terrain, according to Cal Fire San Diego Capt. David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2022 Simply put, the energy and excitement of Chamonix—not to mention the rugged terrain of the Alps—is unparalleled in the trail running world, especially for amateur athletes. Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 31 Aug. 2022 But Grantham stresses that the combination of rugged boots and fine tailoring needn’t be exclusive to Italian industrialists. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2022 Despite glittering blankets of snow that hush the region; despite warm, colorful hats that perhaps were holiday gifts; despite rugged, skid-proof boots ... these are months that chill us. cleveland, 31 Jan. 2022 The league paid $37 million for a scenic 5-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it up to the public. Brian Melley, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2022 The league recently paid $37 million for a scenic five-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it to the public. Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2022 The league recently paid $37 million for a scenic 5-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it up to the public. Brian Melley, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jan. 2022 The league recently paid $37 million for a scenic 5-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it up to the public. NBC News, 25 Jan. 2022 See More
David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2022 Simply put, the energy and excitement of Chamonix—not to mention the rugged terrain of the Alps—is unparalleled in the trail running world, especially for amateur athletes. Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 31 Aug. 2022 But Grantham stresses that the combination of rugged boots and fine tailoring needn’t be exclusive to Italian industrialists. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2022 Despite glittering blankets of snow that hush the region; despite warm, colorful hats that perhaps were holiday gifts; despite rugged, skid-proof boots ... these are months that chill us. cleveland, 31 Jan. 2022 The league paid $37 million for a scenic 5-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it up to the public. Brian Melley, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2022 The league recently paid $37 million for a scenic five-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it to the public. Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2022 The league recently paid $37 million for a scenic 5-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it up to the public. Brian Melley, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jan. 2022 The league recently paid $37 million for a scenic 5-mile stretch of the rugged and forbidding Lost Coast from a lumber company to protect it from logging and eventually open it up to the public. NBC News, 25 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Middle English *rug
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6
Kids Definition
rugged
adjective
rug·ged ˈrə-gəd
1
: having a rough uneven surface
rugged hills
2
: strong sense 3, tough
rugged pioneers
3
: involving hardship
rugged training
rugged
adjective
1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure a rugged construction that survived for hundreds of years Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sturdy
- hardy
- strong
- tough
- stout
- durable
- hardened
- vigorous
- toughened
- robust
- hard-bitten
- hard
- inured
- healthy
- resilient
- stable
- cast-iron
- leathery
- permanent
- tenacious
- staunch
- flinty
- enduring
- thriving
- muscular
- stalwart
- brawny
- unyielding
- lasting
- fortified
- virile
- everlasting
- immortal
- strapping
- prospering
- fit
- hale
- flourishing
- staying
- sound
- imperishable
- husky
- tempered
- seasoned
- stanch
- lusty
- annealed
- red-blooded
- able-bodied
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soft
- weak
- delicate
- worn
- tender
- fragile
- weakened
- emasculated
- enfeebled
- sensitive
- exhausted
- vulnerable
- diseased
- wasted
- infirm
- frail
- crippled
- debilitated
- puny
- unsound
- susceptible
- nonhardy
- incapacitated
- enervated
- worn-out
- transient
- run-down
- sapped
- temporary
- resistless
- yielding
- perishable
- mortal
- unresistant
2
as in tough
difficult to endure the incredibly rugged conditions that the polar explorers faced Synonyms & Similar Words
- tough
- harsh
- rough
- brutal
- oppressive
- searing
- hard
- severe
- grim
- trying
- heavy
- bleak
- cruel
- burdensome
- stiff
- murderous
- onerous
- inhuman
- bitter
- painful
- inhospitable
- austere
- spartan
- rigorous
- grievous
- excruciating
- uncomfortable
- hardhanded
- strict
- stringent
- inclement
- wild
- forbidding
- unpleasant
- hostile
- comfortless
- unbearable
- crushing
- overwhelming
- tortuous
- bad
- intemperate
- wearing
- grinding
- discomforting
- agonizing
- wretched
- heartbreaking
- biting
- unfriendly
- harrowing
- insufferable
- disagreeable
- intolerable
- unendurable
- heartrending
- insupportable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soft
- easy
- comfortable
- light
- luxurious
- cozy
- friendly
- pleasant
- hospitable
- peaceful
- agreeable
- genial
- gentle
- mild
- restful
- snug
- relaxing
- moderate
- calm
- temperate
- tolerable
- bearable
- reposeful
- painless
- endurable
- balmy
- clement
3
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance the warrior's rugged features frightened the child Synonyms & Similar Words
- gruff
- intimidating
- fierce
- grim
- stern
- rough
- hostile
- bleak
- forbidding
- hardened
- stark
- severe
- austere
- flinty
- steely
- dour
- cold
- stubborn
- dark
- ungentle
- lowering
- somber
- inhospitable
- black
- determined
- louring
- uncompromising
- rigid
- moody
- steadfast
- resolute
- stiff
- unflinching
- solemn
- unfriendly
- unyielding
- bound
- hardheaded
- unsympathetic
- purposeful
- implacable
- hard
- unbending
- unrelenting
- adamant
- inimical
- inflexible
- serious
- obdurate
- obstinate
- mulish
- immovable
- firm
- brooding
- fixed
- sullen
- willful
- cheerless
- surly
- resolved
- immutable
- sulky
- set
- intent
- melancholic
- unchangeable
- melancholy
- morose
- gloomy
- unsmiling
- staid
- sober
- humorless
- joyless
- ironhanded
- weighty
- glum
- self-willed
- grave
- wilful
- sombre
- sobersided
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gentle
- mild
- soft
- benign
- quiet
- easy
- meek
- tender
- bland
- soothing
- mellow
- tranquil
- benignant
- sweet
- pleasant
- bright
- cheerful
- nonintimidating
- agreeable
- sunny
- pleasing
- playful
- inviting
- happy
- lighthearted
- goofy
- merry
- silly
- glad
- frivolous
- mirthful
- harebrained
- flighty
- scatterbrained
- giddy
- featherbrained
- light-headed
4
as in muscular
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force a rugged athlete who's competing in weight lifting in the Olympics Synonyms & Similar Words
- muscular
- strong
- powerful
- stout
- mighty
- sturdy
- brawny
- sinewy
- masculine
- tough
- athletic
- stalwart
- beefy
- burly
- robust
- hard
- potent
- fit
- virile
- energetic
- forceful
- strapping
- vigorous
- husky
- healthy
- trim
- forcible
- toughened
- strengthened
- puissant
- sound
- hale
- vitalized
- inured
- lusty
- energized
- invigorated
- able-bodied
- hearty
- red-blooded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- weak
- delicate
- feeble
- frail
- wimpy
- challenged
- disabled
- small
- weakling
- incapacitated
- impotent
- paralyzed
- powerless
- puny
- unfit
- unhealthy
- slight
- unathletic
5
as in jagged
not having a level or smooth surface rugged terrain that made for slow going Synonyms & Similar Words
- jagged
- rough
- uneven
- ragged
- broken
- coarse
- pebbly
- irregular
- roughened
- wavy
- bumpy
- scraggy
- lumpy
- harsh
- rutted
- undulating
- unbalanced
- lopsided
- pitted
- pocked
- rutty
- knobby
- scraggly
- knurled
- undulatory
- inexact
- scratchy
- nubby
- sandpapery
- burred
- unaligned
- knobbly
- nubbly
- nonuniform
- knurly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- smooth
- flat
- uniform
- true
- regular
- level
- even
- exact
- vertical
- aligned
- horizontal
- plane
- straight
- tabular
- plumb
- alined
- flush
6
as in challenging
requiring considerable physical or mental effort even more rugged than most ultramarathons, this one crosses a desert Synonyms & Similar Words
- tough
- challenging
- difficult
- rigorous
- formidable
- hard
- demanding
- rough
- heavy
- complicated
- tall
- sweaty
- testing
- arduous
- strenuous
- intricate
- grueling
- severe
- complex
- killer
- stiff
- laborious
- exacting
- backbreaking
- effortful
- uphill
- murderous
- exhausting
- herculean
- toilsome
- painful
- gruelling
- serious
- elusive
- stubborn
- brutal
- grim
- hellacious
- hairy
- pick-and-shovel
- problematic
- thorny
- annoying
- involved
- abstract
- tight
- spiny
- oppressive
- bruising
- knotty
- tricky
- troublesome
- insoluble
- abstruse
- opaque
- recondite
- moiling
- taxing
- labored
- stressful
- strict
- problematical
- burdensome
- stringent
- trying
- onerous
- ticklish
- irksome
- Augean
- vexatious
- cruel
- bothersome
- distressing
- inhuman
- grievous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soft
- simple
- easy
- cheap
- light
- effortless
- undemanding
- clear
- smooth
- uncomplicated
- facile
- gentle
- mindless
- achievable
- elementary
- doable
- soothing
- relaxed
- comforting
- friendly
- manageable
- accessible
- painless
- user-friendly
- idiotproof
7
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements New Hampshire's Mount Washington has some of the ruggedest weather in all of North America Synonyms & Similar Words
- rough
- turbulent
- wild
- brutal
- harsh
- bleak
- tumultuous
- stormy
- tempestuous
- violent
- raging
- severe
- blustery
- unsettled
- raw
- inclement
- blustering
- nasty
- roily
- unquiet
- squally
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- quiet
- tranquil
- serene
- peaceful
- placid
- calm
- bright
- clear
- sunny
- fair
- halcyon
- cloudless
- unclouded
- sunshiny
- clement
8
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste the kind of rugged humor that men have traditionally enjoyed at stag parties Synonyms & Similar Words
- crass
- vulgar
- coarse
- rough
- rude
- crude
- common
- roughneck
- unpolished
- clumsy
- unrefined
- raffish
- rough-hewn
- low
- uncouth
- gross
- uncultivated
- rustic
- uncultured
- lowbrow
- tasteless
- lowbred
- incult
- insensible
- illiberal
- boorish
- ill-bred
- unsophisticated
- clownish
- loutish
- countrified
- cloddish
- ungentlemanly
- churlish
- lumpish
- rustical
- oafish
- uncivilized
- provincial
- lubberly
- insensitive
- thoughtless
- inelegant
- indelicate
- inconsiderate
- tacky
- barbaric
- barbarous
- unmannered
- countryfied
- graceless
- animallike
- mannerless
- unmannerly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- smooth
- polished
- civilized
- refined
- elegant
- cultured
- genteel
- cultivated
- tasteful
- aristocratic
- graceful
- sensitive
- patrician
- sophisticated
- restrained
- courtly
- well-bred
- ultrarefined
- thoughtful
- gracious
- urbane
- considerate
- citified
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of rugged are harsh, rough, scabrous, and uneven. While all these words mean "not smooth or even," rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.
a rugged landscape
The meanings of harsh and rugged largely overlap; however, harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.
a harsh fabric that chafes the skin
The words rough and rugged are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.
a rough wooden board
The synonyms scabrous and rugged are sometimes interchangeable, but scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.
a scabrous leaf
While the synonyms uneven and rugged are close in meaning, uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.
an old house with uneven floors