rugged

[ ruhg-id ]

/ ˈrʌg ɪd /

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See synonyms for: rugged / ruggedly / ruggedness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

having a roughly broken, rocky, hilly, or jagged surface: rugged ground.

(of a face) wrinkled or furrowed, as by experience or the endurance of hardship.

roughly irregular, heavy, or hard in outline or form; craggy: Lincoln's rugged features.

rough, harsh, or stern, as persons or nature.

full of hardship and trouble; severe; hard; trying: a rugged life.

tempestuous; stormy: rugged weather.

harsh to the ear: rugged sounds.

rude, uncultivated, or unrefined.

homely or plain: rugged fare.

capable of enduring hardship, wear, etc.; strong and tough: rugged floor covering; a rugged lumberjack.

OTHER WORDS FOR rugged

1 uneven, irregular, craggy.

4 austere.

6 turbulent.

7 grating, cacophonous.

8 unpolished, crude.

See synonyms for rugged on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR rugged

1 smooth.

4 mild.

10 frail.

See antonyms for rugged on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of rugged

1300–50; Middle English <Scandinavian; compare Swedish rugga to roughen (of cloth); cf. rug

OTHER WORDS FROM rugged

rug·ged·ly, adverbrug·ged·ness, nounun·rug·ged, adjective

Words nearby rugged

Rugby shirt, rugby union, rug-cutter, rugelach, Rügen, rugged, rugged individualism, ruggedize, rugger, rugger bugger, rugging

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use rugged in a sentence

The best mittens, though, can help your hands survive rugged winter activities.
Best mittens: Keep your hands cozy|PopSci Commerce Team|February 8, 2021|Popular-Science
Eighteen miles of rugged, mostly oceanside trails are the draw.
The Ultimate Acadia National Park Travel Guide|Virginia M. Wright|February 8, 2021|Outside Online
Another recent paper found that cougars in the mountains north of Santa Cruz spend similar amounts of energy avoiding humans as they do navigating the rugged landscape, and that avoiding humans is a primary limit on a cougar’s range.
A new mapping method could help humans and wildlife coexist|Philip Kiefer|February 4, 2021|Popular-Science
That often means a one-dribble pull-up at the elbow or a rugged right-handed drive toward the baseline that ends in his patented fadeaway.
If Kawhi Turns His Back To The Basket, Watch Out|Michael Pina|September 3, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

The rugged cabin includes lots of hard plastic surfaces, which are easy to wipe clean in this age of coronavirus.
Vehicles to ride out a pandemic|Joe Phillips|August 22, 2020|Washington Blade
A more rugged version of American masculinity is hard to find on screen.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He called out the conformism hiding in the pose of rugged individuality.
Glenn Beck Is Now Selling Hipster Clothes. Really.|Ana Marie Cox|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Utah, USA Brigham Young was definitely onto something when he sought to build his Mormon “Zion” in the rugged hinterland of Utah.
Why Your Next Vacation Will Be in Turkmenistan|Brandon Presser|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But what both men had in common was a streak of rugged individualism, stubbornness, and personal vision.
The Fight to Ban ‘Birth of a Nation’|Jack Schwartz|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Marquez is rugged, takes a good punch, and is a pretty defensive fighter.
If Manny Pacquiao Loses to Timothy Bradley, This May Be the End|Allen Barra|April 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Certainly there are no five miles equal in rugged grandeur to those beginning just below and ending above West Point.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
They crossed the bridge and rode up the gently rising, bare, and rugged ground towards Condillac.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Ripperda roused himself from his portentous trance, and arrayed his noble figure in the rugged habiliments of the muleteer.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The tourist climbing tna, or Vesuvius' rugged side, puffs on though they perchance have long since ceased to smoke.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
It extends only a short distance into Virginia and consists mainly of rough, rugged terrain.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey

British Dictionary definitions for rugged

rugged

/ (ˈrʌɡɪd) /

adjective

having an uneven or jagged surface

rocky or steeprugged scenery

(of the face) strong-featured or furrowed

rough, severe, or stern in character

without refinement or culture; ruderugged manners

involving hardship; harshhe leads a rugged life in the mountains

difficult or harda rugged test

(of equipment, machines, etc) designed to withstand rough treatment or use in rough conditionsa handheld rugged computer which can survive being submerged in water

mainly US and Canadian sturdy or strong; robust

Derived forms of rugged

ruggedly, adverbruggedness, noun

Word Origin for rugged

C14: from Scandinavian; compare Swedish rugga to make rough

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

rugged

OTHER WORDS FOR rugged

OPPOSITES FOR rugged

Origin of rugged

OTHER WORDS FROM rugged

Words nearby rugged

Words related to rugged

How to use rugged in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rugged

Derived forms of rugged

Word Origin for rugged