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Definitions

gruff

[gruhf] / grʌf /




Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While the Silk Sonic project, from its name on down, is a tribute to the lush textures of ’70s soul, Mr. .Paak’s occasionally gruff presence brings a touch of hip-hop to the mix.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

Sullivan—a gruff Irish-Catholic variety-show host who could make or break careers—dropped a folder on the table, a dossier of FBI and press clippings, and asked bluntly:

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

Mr. Hersh, age 88, is a gruff charmer; a viewer will understand why people open up to him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025

Carpenter is a gruff but approachable 77 these days, his career as a film director receding in the rearview.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

Then a gruff voice boomed out of the phone: “Federal Bureau of Investigations. Reardon speaking.”

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix




Vocabulary lists containing gruff