rugged

American  

[ruhg-id] / ˈrʌg ɪd /

adjective

1. having a roughly broken, rocky, hilly, or jagged surface.

   rugged ground.

   Synonyms:

   craggy, irregular, uneven

   Antonyms:

   smooth

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

3. roughly irregular, heavy, or hard in outline or form; craggy.

   Lincoln's rugged features.

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

   Synonyms:

   austere

   Antonyms:

   mild

5. full of hardship and trouble; severe; hard; trying.

   a rugged life.

6. tempestuous; stormy.

   rugged weather.

   Synonyms:

   turbulent

7. harsh to the ear.

   rugged sounds.

   Synonyms:

   cacophonous, grating

8. rude, uncultivated, or unrefined.

   Synonyms:

   crude, unpolished

9. homely or plain.

   rugged fare.

10. capable of enduring hardship, wear, etc.; strong and tough.

    rugged floor covering; a rugged lumberjack.

    Antonyms:

    frail

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rugged British  

/ ˈrʌɡɪd /

adjective

1. having an uneven or jagged surface

2. rocky or steep

   rugged scenery

3. (of the face) strong-featured or furrowed

4. rough, severe, or stern in character

5. without refinement or culture; rude

   rugged manners

6. involving hardship; harsh

   he leads a rugged life in the mountains

7. difficult or hard

   a rugged test

8. (of equipment, machines, etc) designed to withstand rough treatment or use in rough conditions

   a handheld rugged computer which can survive being submerged in water

9. sturdy or strong; robust

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Other Word Forms

• ruggedly adverb
• ruggedness noun
• unrugged adjective

Etymology

Origin of rugged

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

Example Sentences

At the time, however, the frontier – with its rugged cowboys, miners and railroad men – defined American manhood.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Hundreds of police have pursued Freeman through the region's rugged terrain over the past seven months, pouring resources into one of Australia's largest manhunts.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Surrounded by rugged mountains, it is around a 14-hour drive from the capital, Tehran.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Herzog depicts the bushmen who aid Boyes as dignified, diligent and intelligent without romanticizing them while capturing the rugged beauty of the African landscape.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

“Last year, I dropped a guy off at the trailhead,” he told us as we tooled north through darkening pine forests towards the rugged hills of north Georgia.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• craggy
• hilly
• jagged
• mountainous
• rocky
• rough