gruffly

adverb

Definition of grufflynext
1
as in brusquely

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in grimly

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gruffly Rose’s relationship with her father, too, is unusual in its unresolved jaggedness, while Sisto’s gruffly on-edge performance points to a deeper well of adult pain in Wes that his daughter cannot yet manage or comprehend. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 June 2026 Chief among the familiar faces is Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the stoic, gruffly professional explosives-disposal expert Major Will Tranter, who shows up at a construction site in the heart of London where an unexploded, 1,000-pound WWII bomb has just been found. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruffly
  1. brusquely
  2. grimly
  3. curtly
  4. firmly
  5. sharply
  6. strongly
  7. abruptly
  8. determinedly
Adverb
  • Yet, White House officials told me, Biden sometimes brusquely dismissed the views of both men, raising his voice as though berating children.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • In some instances, judges brusquely threw cases out of court after prosecutors walked in with little evidence.
    — Brian Rokos, Daily News, 7 May 2026
Definition of brusquely
Adverb
  • The flooding in Nepal is yet another calamity for a country grimly accustomed to crisis and upheaval.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Gun purchases made in response to events have been shown, grimly, to lead to still more accidental gun deaths.
    — Vishal R. Patel, Time, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of grimly
Adverb
  • Juliette later makes a stop to see Shirley, who is still being unreasonably pouty about her amnesiac friend not remembering her — and is, again, curtly dismissive of Juliette’s search for Lukas.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • But Ruben curtly responds that the only real homophobe is Niall himself.
    — Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of curtly
Adverb
  • Malkovich is considered by prognosticators to be firmly in the mix in what is a very competitive best actor category this awards season with Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, Robert Pattinson, Andrew Scott, Sebastian Stan and Javier Bardem among a deep field.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • However, her performance soon takes on a more grounded, childlike cadence, which roots the supposedly amnesiac Margot a little too firmly within the literal, especially for a tale whose poetry lies in its uncanniness.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • Hostilities at sea have ‌escalated sharply with attacks by both sides on ports and commercial shipping, pushing ‌up global grain prices.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • New York City on Wednesday announced that AI tools will be banned in public grade and middle schools and sharply limited for high school students.
    — Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of sharply
Adverb
  • Gallup found that just 2% of Fortune 500 CHROs strongly agree their performance management system actually inspires employees to improve.
    — Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Previous-generation Outbacks were functional but had an unfortunate tendency to look as though their infotainment system had been installed by somebody who strongly disliked both computers and human beings.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Another shock to the neighborhood came in May, when Caputo’s Bake Shop, a Court Street landmark for 124 years, abruptly shut down.
    — Rachel Corbett, Curbed, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This is one family’s experience of their last year in Connecticut after major hospitals abruptly ended gender-affirming medical care for trans youth.
    — Dr. SJ Job, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of abruptly
Adverb
  • Poor Frank and Kirsten look on confused, determinedly polite in their insistence that all family members should be welcome.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • The few street names in Happy Haven were determinedly upbeat, with Christian undertones.
    — Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Definition of determinedly

Browse Nearby Words

gruff
gruffly
gruffness
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Cite this Entry

“Gruffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruffly. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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