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Synonyms for gruff

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Brusque
blunt, rough, crusty, surly; see abrupt 2, blunt 2, irritable, rude 1, 2.
Hoarse
harsh, grating, rough; see hoarse. See syn. study at blunt.

See gruff in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II

adjective

Rudely unceremonious:
abrupt, blunt, brief, brusque, crusty, curt, short, short-spoken. See attitude
Low and grating in sound:
croaking, croaky, hoarse, husky¹. See sounds

See gruff in American Heritage Dictionary 4 Synonyms

gruff brusque blunt bluff ²curt crusty

These adjectives mean abrupt and sometimes discourteous in manner or speech. Gruff implies roughness or surliness but does not necessarily suggest rudeness: a gruff reply.
Brusque emphasizes rude abruptness: a brusque manner.
Blunt stresses utter frankness and usually a disconcerting directness: a blunt refusal.
Bluff refers to unpolished, unceremonious manner but usually implies hearty good nature: a bluff and courageous sailor.
Curt denotes usually rude briefness and abruptness of speech: a curt letter of rejection.
Crusty suggests a rough and forbidding manner that sometimes conceals benevolence of spirit: a crusty old gentlemen who feeds stray cats.

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