1
: rough, brusque, or stern in manner, speech, or aspect
a gruff reply
2
: being deep and harsh : hoarse
a gruff voice
gruffly
adverb
gruffness
noun
gruffed; gruffing; gruffs
: to utter in a gruff voice or manner
"Get out of bed now!" gruffed the sergeant.
Examples of gruff in a Sentence
Adjective
Don't be fooled by his gruff manner—he's really very kind.
He spoke in a gruff voice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025
Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2025
James Hookway, WSJ, 16 May 2022
Pompeo, often gruff in interactions with reporters, is a skilled retail politician and, although not a soaring orator, is adept at holding an audience’s attention.
—David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 2 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for gruff
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Adjective
But encounters with the island’s residents, including with his gruff but warm-hearted landlady (played by German screen legend Hanna Schygulla), gradually alter his outlook.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025
Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
Devs, normally gruff with his postgame talks, couldn’t hide his pleasure.
—James Hookway, WSJ, 16 May 2022
Pompeo, often gruff in interactions with reporters, is a skilled retail politician and, although not a soaring orator, is adept at holding an audience’s attention.
—David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 2 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for gruff
Cite this Entry
“Gruff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gruff. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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