rugged Meaning, Definition & Usage

adjective sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring
- with a house full of boys you have to have rugged furniture
adjective having long narrow shallow depressions (as grooves or wrinkles) in the surface
furrowed.
- furrowed fields
- his furrowed face lit by a warming smile
adjective satellite topographically very uneven
broken.
- broken terrain
- rugged ground
adjective satellite very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution
tough.
- a rugged competitive examination
- the rugged conditions of frontier life
- the competition was tough
- it's a tough life
- it was a tough job

See Rug, n.

Full of asperities on the surface; broken into sharp or irregular points, or otherwise uneven; not smooth; rough; as, a rugged mountain; a rugged road.
The rugged bark of some broad elm. Milton.
Not neat or regular; uneven.
His well-proportioned beard made rough and rugged. Shak.
Rough with bristles or hair; shaggy. "The rugged Russian bear." Shak.
Harsh; hard; crabbed; austere; -- said of temper, character, and the like, or of persons.
Neither melt nor endear him, but leave him as hard, rugged, and unconcerned as ever. South.
Stormy; turbulent; tempestuous; rude. Milton.
Rough to the ear; harsh; grating; -- said of sound, style, and the like.
Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line. Dryden.
Sour; surly; frowning; wrinkled; -- said of looks, etc. "Sleek o'er your rugged looks." Shak.
Violent; rude; boisterrous; -- said of conduct, manners, etc.
Vigorous; robust; hardy; -- said of health, physique, etc. Colloq. U.S. Syn. -- Rough; uneven; wrinkled; cragged; coarse; rude; harsh; hard; crabbed; severe; austere; surly; sour; frowning; violent; boisterous; tumultuous; turbulent; stormy; tempestuous; inclement. -- Rug"ged*ly adv. -- Rug"ged*ness, n.