Roughly Common

Roughly has 4 different meanings across 1 category:

Adverb

Definitions

Adverb

(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct

"lasted approximately an hour"

"in just about a minute"

"he's about 30 years old"

"I've had about all I can stand"

"we meet about once a month"

"some forty people came"

"weighs around a hundred pounds"

"roughly $3,000"

"holds 3 gallons, more or less"

"20 or so people were at the party"

approximately about close to just about some roughly more or less around or so

with roughness or violence (`rough' is an informal variant for `roughly')

"he was pushed roughly aside"

"they treated him rough"

roughly rough

with rough motion as over a rough surface

"ride rough"

roughly rough

In a rough manner; without kindness, softness, or gentleness.

"The coach spoke to the rookie roughly, shouting harsh instructions instead of offering encouragement."

In plain English: Roughly means something is approximately correct but not exact.

"The meeting started roughly ten minutes later than expected."

Usage: Use roughly to describe actions performed in an abrupt or harsh way rather than with care. Avoid confusing it with approximately when you mean something is close but not exact.

Example Sentences

"The meeting started roughly ten minutes later than expected." adv

"We will arrive at roughly five o'clock in the afternoon." adv

"The recipe calls for roughly two cups of flour." adv

"He is roughly my age but we were born in different years." adv

Origin

This word is formed by adding the suffix "-ly" to "rough." It entered English as a straightforward combination of these two existing elements.

Rhyming Words

suchly gashly rashly wishly fishly lothly richly toshly eathly bushly lushly highly muchly tithly archly poshly fleshly deathly sixthly harshly

Compare