1
as in brusquely
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2
as in grimly
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruffly
Adverb
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The veil having been brusquely lifted from his eyes, Blair eventually left the service.—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
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Gina remains loyal to Amy, who has at times treated her friend brusquely.— Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The Olsen kiddos trying to close their front door to keep the sharks out is just as well-shot and grimly hilarious as Lisa readying to give birth as the floodwaters rise.— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
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Innocence isn’t even about the recent past; statistically speaking, the grimly familiar scenes of mayhem might take place somewhere next week.— Justin Davidson, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The Yangs were called in and curtly told the judgment was being overturned, their lawsuit dismissed without trial.— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Markets are firmly optimistic and investors would hope the stock rally does not be derailed by geopolitics.— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
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At 36, Rory McIlroy has firmly established himself among golf’s modern greats.— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Big-hearted and sharply funny, Lucy Schulman is a charming comedic coming-of-age story from multihyphenate Tribeca alum Ellie Sachs.— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
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Higher oil prices have sharply increased operating expenses for shipping firms, squeezing margins and forcing governments, including Hong Kong, to step in with temporary support.— Lee Ying Shan,Emily Tan, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Director Matt Pfeiffer tries not to tie it too strongly to an extreme light or dark mood but does keep up a snappy pace, plays most of the angriest outbursts for laughs and takes good advantage of the openness of the Playhouse on Park stage area.— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
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That some might strongly disagree or be offended by what the speaker says does not silence the speaker.— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Two tankers carrying liquid petroleum gas (LPG) that were heading out of the Persian Gulf have abruptly turned round amidst Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship tracking data.— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
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Following the climactic portrayal of bombings in Iran and Gaza, the Strokes’ video montage ended with a shot of a bomber plane in the air, as the song abruptly ended.— Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Wall Street has been determinedly upbeat about the war in Iran resolving in a relatively short window.— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
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Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.— Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Gruffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/gruffly. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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