roughly
gb/ɹˈʌfli/ us/ɹˈʌfli/
B1
English
~ 8400
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
relation
1
approximately; about; around
Used to say that a number, amount, size, or time is not exact, but close to the real one.
Usage pattern:
roughly [number/amount/time]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "roughly" with "hardly". "Roughly" means "about; approximately" (Roughly 100 people = about 100 people). "Hardly" means "almost not" (Hardly 100 people = far fewer than 100). Another mistake is placing "roughly" too far from the number; it most often comes directly before the number or amount (say "roughly ten minutes", not "ten minutes roughly it takes").
Synonyms
approximately (More formal and technical; common in written English, especially science and reports.)
|
about (Very common and informal; used in most everyday situations instead of "roughly".)
|
around (Informal and conversational; often interchangeable with "roughly" before numbers.)
Antonyms
exactly (Stresses that the number or amount is completely precise, with no difference.)
|
precisely (More formal; emphasizes a very high level of accuracy.)
Collocations
roughly the same
|roughly equal to
|roughly one-third
|roughly half
|costs roughly fifty dollars
|takes roughly ten minutes
Themes
numbers
|time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There were roughly 200 people at the concert.
- The project will take roughly six months to complete.
- The repairs should cost roughly five hundred euros.
- The two houses are roughly the same size.
- Roughly one-third of the students failed the exam.
Learner examples
- The bus comes every day at roughly eight o'clock.
- Tickets are roughly twenty dollars each.
- The journey takes roughly two hours by train.
- There are roughly fifty students in my class.
- My office is roughly ten minutes from here.
unknown
B2
relation
2
in a harsh or violent way
In a hard, not gentle way that can hurt someone or feel unkind.
Usage pattern:
[someone] [does something] roughly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is about numbers, like the approximate sense. If a person is "treated roughly", it does not mean "treated approximately" but "treated in a hard or violent way". Also, "rough" as an adjective is more common (a rough man, rough behavior); "roughly" here describes HOW the action is done, not the person.
Synonyms
harshly (Emphasizes unkind or severe behavior, especially in speaking or judging.)
|
violently (Stronger; stresses physical force or aggression more than "roughly".)
|
brutally (Very strong; suggests cruelty and extreme lack of care for others' feelings or safety.)
Antonyms
gently (Focuses on being soft and careful, the opposite of using force or being rough.)
|
softly (Often describes speech or touch done in a quiet, light way, not hard or rough.)
Collocations
treat someone roughly
|grab someone roughly
|push roughly
|shake someone roughly
|speak roughly to someone
|handle someone roughly
Themes
behavior
|violence
|emotions
|communication
|relationships
Examples
- The guard grabbed him roughly by the arm.
- She was roughly pushed out of the bar by the bouncers.
- The teacher spoke roughly to the boy after he lied.
- Protesters complained that the police had treated them roughly.
- He roughly shook the bottle before opening it.
Learner examples
- The man pulled the child roughly across the street.
- Do not talk so roughly to your parents.
- The boy was roughly pushed to the ground.
- He took my bag roughly and threw it on the floor.
- She closed the door roughly and walked away.
adverb
B2
relation
3
without care; not precisely
In a way that is not smooth or careful, so it looks or feels simple, uneven, or unfinished.
Usage pattern:
[someone] [does/makes/draws/cuts] [something] roughly
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the "harsh" sense. If you say "the door was roughly painted", it usually means it was painted in a quick, not smooth way, not that anyone was hurt. If a person is the object ("treated roughly"), it usually refers to harsh treatment; if an object or surface is the object ("roughly cut bread"), it usually refers to lack of smoothness or care.
Synonyms
crudely (Often suggests something was done very simply and without skill or style.)
|
roughly (Baseline term; neutral description without strong negative judgment.)
|
carelessly (Focuses more on not paying attention than on the physical unevenness.)
Antonyms
carefully (Stresses attention and effort to do something well and accurately.)
|
neatly (Describes something done in a clean, orderly, and tidy way.)
|
smoothly (Focuses on an even surface or movement without bumps or breaks.)
Collocations
roughly cut
|roughly drawn
|roughly sketched
|roughly made
|roughly shaped
|roughly carved
Themes
appearance
|work
|art
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The vegetables were roughly chopped and thrown into the pot.
- He drew a roughly circular shape on the board.
- They made a roughly built shelter from branches and plastic sheets.
- She roughly sketched the layout of the new office.
- The path was roughly paved with stones of different sizes.
Learner examples
- He roughly cut the paper with old scissors.
- The map was roughly drawn with a pen.
- She roughly cleaned the room in five minutes.
- We built a roughly made table for the garden.
- The cake was roughly shaped but it tasted good.
Grammar
Dictionary form
roughly
IPA
GB/ɹˈʌfli/
US/ɹˈʌfli/
Syllables & stress
roughly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (roughly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: roughly
- Plural: roughlies
Word family
Expressions
roughly speaking
1/ɹˈʌfli spˈikɪŋ/
fixed phrase
generally, but not exactly
Used before a sentence to show that what you say is only generally true and not exact in every detail.
Examples
- Roughly speaking, the company doubled its profits last year.
- Roughly speaking, there are three main types of smartphones on the market.
- Roughly speaking, this plan will cost us half as much as the old one.