rugged
Americanadjective
-
having a roughly broken, rocky, hilly, or jagged surface.
rugged ground.
- Antonyms:
- smooth
-
(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.
- Synonyms:
- austere
- Antonyms:
- mild
-
full of hardship and trouble; severe; hard; trying.
a rugged life.
-
tempestuous; stormy.
rugged weather.
- Synonyms:
- turbulent
-
harsh to the ear.
rugged sounds.
- Synonyms:
- cacophonous, grating
-
rude, uncultivated, or unrefined.
- Synonyms:
- crude, unpolished
-
homely or plain.
rugged fare.
-
capable of enduring hardship, wear, etc.; strong and tough.
rugged floor covering; a rugged lumberjack.
- Antonyms:
- frail
adjective
-
having an uneven or jagged surface
-
rocky or steep
rugged scenery
-
(of the face) strong-featured or furrowed
-
rough, severe, or stern in character
-
without refinement or culture; rude
rugged manners
-
involving hardship; harsh
he leads a rugged life in the mountains
-
difficult or hard
a rugged test
-
(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
-
sturdy or strong; robust
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rugged
1300–50; Middle English < Scandinavian; compare Swedish rugga to roughen (of cloth); cf. rug
Explanation
Terrain that is broken and uneven is called rugged. If you want an easy hike, you should stay away from the rugged coastline. That rocky shoreline is definitely for the more experienced hikers. The same sense of unevenness applies to other things that are described as rugged. If someone tells a man that he has a rugged face, it's meant to compliment his rough, strong looks. Rugged can also describe something that is steady, sturdy, and strong. Only your rugged constitution will keep you alive in that period of famine between your after school snack and dinner.
Vocabulary lists containing rugged
Where the Red Fern Grows
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Vigorous Vocab: Synonyms for "Strong"
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Herbert Hoover on "Rugged Individualism" (1928)
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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.
Taiwan, once widely known as Formosa, conceals a remarkable natural world within its steep and rugged interior.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Australia regularly sends specialist teams to the US and Canada, and vice versa, with many requests for what's known as "arduous fire crews": those who have fought fires in rugged and remote areas.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
The Constitutional Union Party proposed to save the nation, he noted, “by ignoring all the rugged issues of the day”—there was no direct mention of slavery in its platform.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Canadairs are a prime weapon in fighting blazes in rugged, often remote landscapes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
On the other hand, single large rugged islands were divided into many independent political units.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
