roughen

[ ruhf-uhn ]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become rough or rougher. rougher.

roughen

/ ˈrʌfən /

verb

1. to make or become rough

Other Words From

• roughen·er noun
• un·roughened adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of roughen¹

First recorded in 1580–90; rough + -en ¹

Example Sentences

Red whirls on this rabbit’s tongue are filiform papillae, which roughen the tongue and help move food around the mouth.

From New York Times

The general idea is that ground surfaces roughen after the mass movement of rocks and soil, so that landslide deposits are the roughest right after the landslide occurs and become smoother over time.

From Science Daily

The goal is to roughen up the surface so the paint adheres to the old polyurethane coat.

From Washington Post

“Doesn’t the scramble for milk constitute a sufficient incentive to transcend formalities and roughen out the edges in order to form a government?”

From Reuters

To have it reflect our current situation, we need to roughen it up.

From Salon

Related Words

• beat up
• maltreat
• manhandle
• mistreat