Standard Lemma guide

roughen

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈɹʌfən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌfən

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make rough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The wind began to roughen the surface of the sea.
  • They roughened the edges of the stone to give it a rustic look.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become rough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make rough or rougher

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • roughen the surfaces so they will stick to each other

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: smooth

Broader terms: change surface

History

Etymology

From rough + -en.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: награпавявам (nagrapavjavam) — to make rough
  • Finnish: karhentaa — to make rough
  • German: aufrauen — to make rough
  • German: anrauen — to make rough
  • German: rau machen — to make rough
  • German: rauen — to make rough
  • Italian: irruvidìre — to make rough
  • Latin: irrūgidō — to make rough
  • Bulgarian: загрубявам (zagrubjavam) — to become rough
  • Finnish: karhentua — to become rough
  • German: rau werden — to become rough