gruff
Example Sentences
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See Examples For:
As Morrison jammed in the kitchen, Hansard said his request for one of his songs was met with a gruff response from Morrison.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
But that didn’t stop voters from embracing it, giving the show 19 nominations, including one for Dickey’s turn as the gruff town hall worker who is the Spielberg of overhead projector presentations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Senate, the gruff oysterman opened with a joke.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Fun fact: The movie’s director, Michael Sarnoski, loves a prickly hero: He also made “Pig,” which stars Nicolas Cage as a gruff truffle hunter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026
“Father Abbot, you must live,” said Constance in a gruff choking voice.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Dad was gruffer, but still avoided saying it outright.
From Slate ● May 29, 2018
Their melodious deliveries was were complimented by the gruffer voice and more theatrical likes of Dixon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2018
Sanchez is a slightly gruffer presence in the background.
From New York Times ● Jun. 12, 2017
Tanto is louder, Oz is gruffer, Rone is an old friend of Jack's from past tours of duty.
From The Verge ● Jan. 14, 2016
The gruff voice was gruffer than ever, as the old gentleman said abruptly, after the dreadful pause, “So you’re not afraid of me, hey?”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Possessing one of the sharpest minds in the business, Prince was one of its gruffest truth-tellers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2019
Here bringing heart to what could be a harsh cad, in even his his gruffest, roughest performances, Finney always found an emotional center that allowed audiences in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2019
“Loving you is complicated,” he announces, in his gruffest tone: the “you” is himself, hip-hop, and his own success.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 18, 2015
Mr. Bradlee looked up from his omnipresent crossword puzzle, “and in his gruffest voice,” Pincus recalled, “he said, ‘You ought to be paying me for all the fun you’re having.’ ”
From Washington Post
Even the gruffest old seaman began to smile, and every one seemed in good spirits.
From On the Banks of the Amazon by William H. C. Groome
Vocabulary lists containing gruff
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon
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Auggie & Me
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