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diamond in the rough
noun phrase
: one having exceptional qualities or potential but lacking refinement or polish
Examples of diamond in the rough in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But Sardinia’s wild south, accessible by car and by flight (Cagliari Elmas Airport connects to Rome and many cities within Italy and the European Union), remains a relative diamond in the rough.
—Hannah Selinger, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2024
Dear Eric: The daughter’s boyfriend in the letter from Protective Parent, who judged the boyfriend for pursuing carpentry rather than going to college, just may be a diamond in the rough.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2024
Finding rare deals like this is, well, like finding a diamond in the rough.
—Olivia Cigliano, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Gross-Matos could be a diamond in the rough, having fled the Carolina Panthers.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 14 July 2024
Hawaii was a diamond in the rough that nobody saw shine until the ’70s and ’80s, with the Japanese investments and other foreign entities.
—Jeremy Yurow, USA TODAY, 9 July 2024
One such diamond in the rough is Columbia, the state’s capital and home to the University of South Carolina.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 July 2024
Not only is the film amateurish — the crew forgot to bring the box of lenses, so the cinematographer was forced to shoot with the wrong equipment — Sandler’s performance is hardly a diamond in the rough.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2024
Finding your personal Eden away from the throng requires a sizable budget, a lot of effort, a willingness to go far afield, and the vision to spot a diamond in the rough, like this one.
—Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 15 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diamond in the rough.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1785, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of diamond in the rough was
in 1785
Dictionary Entries Near diamond in the rough
Cite this Entry
“Diamond in the rough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diamond%20in%20the%20rough. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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