roughen Definition
to make or become rough or uneven in texture or surface.
Using roughen: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "roughen" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The sandpaper roughened the surface of the wood.
Example
The waves had roughened the sea.
Example
The skin on his hands roughened from working outside without gloves.
roughen Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with roughen
roughen up
to make someone or something tougher or more aggressive
Example
The coach told the team to roughen up their play in the second half.
Example
The artist decided to roughen the edges of the painting to give it a more rustic look.
Example
He roughened his tone when he realized the other person wasn't listening.
Summary: roughen in Brief
The verb 'roughen' [ruhf-uhn] means to make or become rough or uneven in texture or surface. It can be used to describe the effect of sandpaper on wood, the action of waves on the sea, or the impact of outdoor work on skin. Phrases like 'roughen up' and 'roughen the edges' suggest making something tougher or less polished, while 'roughen one's tone' implies speaking in a harsh or angry manner.