rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.
a rough wooden board
harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.
a harsh fabric that chafes the skin
uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.
an old house with uneven floors
rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.
a rugged landscape
scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.
a scabrous leaf
Example Sentences
The climate there is very harsh. We've had an extremely harsh winter. It's time for her to face the harsh realities of this situation. The accident serves as a harsh reminder of the importance of wearing a seat belt. The lighting in the room was very harsh. The state has established harsh penalties for drug dealers. She has been criticized for her harsh treatment of her students. He was sentenced to a harsh prison term. He had harsh words for his opponent. She has faced some extremely harsh criticism. See More
Recent Examples on the WebEven in his two immensely popular presidential thrillers written with Bill Clinton, Patterson has avoided any harsh criticism of the Very Stable Genius. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2022 The disciplinary actions drew harsh criticism and nationwide attention. Emily Sweeney, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2022 Regional strongmen that once came under harsh criticism from the West appear to be back in favor. Abbas Al Lawati, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 Even when praising Styles for his character and talent, Wilde, 38, has been met with harsh criticism online. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2022 The 45-year-old actress says that while working on the 2000 film Coyote Ugly she was pressured to lose weight and subjected to harsh criticism from a costume designer and the makeup team. Justine Browning, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Arredondo – who has faced harsh criticism from state law enforcement, teachers, and the Uvalde community for his response to the shooting – was placed on unpaid administrative leave in June. Paul Best, Fox News, 4 Aug. 2022 Salman's role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi drew harsh criticism from then-candidate Biden of both the Saudis and Trump, who refused to blame Salman. Rick Klein, ABC News, 15 July 2022 But harsh criticism by real-life Hollywood legends Jerry West and Kareem-Abdul Jabbar probably sealed its Emmy chances.cleveland, 12 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English harsk, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian harsk harsh