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Synonyms

craggy

American  
[krag-ee] / ˈkræg i /
Also cragged

adjective

craggier, craggiest
  1. full of crags.

  2. rugged; harsh; rough.


craggy British  
/ ˈkræɡɪd, ˈkræɡɪ /

adjective

  1. having many crags

  2. (of the face) rugged; rocklike

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • craggedly adverb
  • craggedness noun
  • craggily adverb
  • cragginess noun
  • uncraggy adjective

Etymology

Origin of craggy

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; crag 1, -y 1

Explanation

Something is craggy when it's uneven, rough, and jagged, like the craggy cliffs along a rocky beach. The adjective craggy is most often used to describe a landscape or natural feature like a hill or outcrop, and occasionally a scarred or pitted face, like your uncle's craggy cheeks. The word comes from crag, "rugged cliff or rock." Most crags are found in northern Scotland and England, and the roots of crag go back to a Celtic source.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing craggy

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.

Exploring these craggy psychological contours from the perspectives of the investigators, the accused’s shocked parents, and a psychologist tasked with evaluating the boy and his parents in four taut episodes is equally impressive.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2025

There are about 70 to 80 roaming the craggy mountains, which Stephenson described as a “relatively large” number.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

In the craggy Sierra Nevada mountains, late last year, a male lion hunted down several bighorn.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

But she made a beeline back to the coast, settling in the craggy bluffs outside desirable Topanga.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

My Baba Haji’s craggy smile, my uncle on the motorcycle.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri