roughly

adverb

rough·​ly ˈrə-flē How to pronounce roughly (audio)
Synonyms of roughlynext
1
: in a rough manner: such as
a
: with harshness or violence
treated the prisoner roughly
b
: in crude fashion : imperfectly
roughly dressed lumber
2
: without completeness or exactness : approximately
roughly 20 percent

Synonyms of roughly

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Examples of roughly in a Sentence

Roughly translated, it means “hurry up!”. The new product is modeled roughly on an earlier design. He threw the package roughly in the truck. The guard told us roughly that we had to stand back.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Abnormal Studios, a Westec Media Limited subsidiary, brings roughly 100 titles a year to market across Southeast Asia as well as Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mongolia and Nepal. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026 Covid vaccines roughly halved the chances that a US adult would need to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized with their infections last fall and winter, one study found. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 The company has committed to investing at least $1 billion to construct one roughly 300,000-square-foot facility, but the campus could expand to include up to five primary buildings, officials have said. — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 4 Aug. 2026 An acre-foot is roughly 326,000 gallons, enough to supply two typical households for a year. — Swasti Singhai, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for roughly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roughly was in the 14th century

Rhymes for roughly

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Browse Nearby Words

rough lumber
roughly
rough-machine
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Cite this Entry

“Roughly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roughly. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on roughly

Nglish: Translation of roughly for Spanish Speakers

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