rough up
phrasal verb
roughed up; roughing up; roughs up
informal
: to hit and hurt (someone)
The prisoner claimed that he was roughed up by the guards.
Examples of rough up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nubby quilts warm up the bedrooms, a sultry Soane fabric dresses up a thrift shop–found sofa, and an original soapstone sink rough up the new mudroom.
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Jennifer Fernandez, Architectural Digest, 20 Jan. 2025
Already, there are signs that Democrats will use those confirmation hearings to rough up some of the nominees on their qualifications and Trump’s plans alike.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 8 Jan. 2025
Several young Georgians who still bore the visible marks of beating described being detained at peaceful protests by security forces; one independent election monitor recounted how he had been roughed up to leave a polling station by a crowd of thugs.
—Christian Caryl, Foreign Affairs, 26 Dec. 2024
Caufield had just been roughed up by Tyler Myers — one foot taller and more than 50 pounds heavier — along the end boards deep in the Vancouver zone.
—Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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Jennifer Fernandez, Architectural Digest, 20 Jan. 2025
Already, there are signs that Democrats will use those confirmation hearings to rough up some of the nominees on their qualifications and Trump’s plans alike.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 8 Jan. 2025
Several young Georgians who still bore the visible marks of beating described being detained at peaceful protests by security forces; one independent election monitor recounted how he had been roughed up to leave a polling station by a crowd of thugs.
—Christian Caryl, Foreign Affairs, 26 Dec. 2024
Caufield had just been roughed up by Tyler Myers — one foot taller and more than 50 pounds heavier — along the end boards deep in the Vancouver zone.
—Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rough up
Dictionary Entries Near rough up
Cite this Entry
“Rough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rough%20up. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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