How to Pronounce Rough

To pronounce "rough", say ROUGH — one syllable, IPA /ɹʌf/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

rough

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying rough, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

1

Syllable

5

Letters

/ɹʌf/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “rough”

"rough" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with puff and chuff, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: ruff, ruf — easy to mix up when writing.

What does rough mean?

noun

  1. The unmowed part of a golf course.
  2. A rude fellow; a coarse bully; a rowdy.

verb

  1. To create in an approximate form.

    “Rough in the shape first, then polish the details.”

  2. To commit the offense of roughing, i.e. to punch another player.

adjective

  1. Not smooth; uneven.
  2. Approximate; hasty or careless; not finished.

    “a rough estimate; a rough sketch of a building; a rough plan”

Antonyms

smooth

Hear “rough” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with rough

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

puffchuffgruffbufftoughsloughbluffsnuffstuffmuffrebuffguff

Related words

crudeunrefinedunsmoothharshroughlyfierceruggedcacophonous

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "rough"?▾

"Rough" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "rough"?▾

The IPA transcription of "rough" is /ɹʌf/.

What does "rough" mean?▾

Rough: The unmowed part of a golf course.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “rough” in the full dictionary →