ruffianly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffianly
Adjective
  • The banal village tunes that Mahler altered into sinister mock vulgarities—did these not recall the raffish klezmer bands, the wandering musicians who played at shtetl weddings?
    David Denby, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
  • There’s an over-the-top and overdressed fish out of water (me), a raffish Englishmen homesick for Great Britain (my husband Aidan, who will be mortified to read any of this), and an ensemble of quirky characters.
    Mosha Lundström Halbert, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The production, which opened at the James Earl Jones Theater on Sunday, boasts a heartfelt and riotous book by Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin, and delightful music from Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Across the week, the brand presented Friendly Pressure: Studio One, a cultural program that featured talks, live music sessions, and what became some pretty riotous evening DJ sets in the cosy, intimate setting.
    Liam Hess, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Their throats may have been boisterous, singing loud and long, but their eyes were shot with worry.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • In the practiced government kabuki of these events, commissioners spoke, proposals were voted on unanimously, and chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Donald Trump, ran things smoothly, though his demeanor was rather boisterous.
    Steven Levy, Wired News, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • The party got rowdy and a few other guests complained, so the group moved to a nearby beach, drinking beers in the sand and contemplating a midnight swim.
    Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Cancun often conjures up images of rowdy spring breakers and crowded beaches, but there's none of that here.
    Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Customers at Starbucks will be introduced to a new interface with a carnival-style wheel.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023
  • The Square has spooky carnival-style games.
    Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022
Adjective
  • The defending champions are now in real danger of being eliminated with the next two games at a raucous Madison Square Garden.
    Matias Grez, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
  • Newsrooms then were raucous places, filled with loud voices, the constant clacking of typewriters, cigarette smoke and big, colorful personalities.
    Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
Adjective
  • Europeans, Australians and Americans organized violent, racially motivated riots and lawmakers began enacting anti-Chinese immigration legislation, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
  • Some liberal critics on social media say that Republicans did not seem to take issue when the same slogan — or even more violent rhetoric — was targeted at a Democratic president.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Before last year’s trial, the blocks surrounding the Superior Court in Dedham developed a carnivalesque atmosphere.
    Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2025
  • With multiple hues split by seams that encircle their throats and bellies, the vases have a sweet, carnivalesque elegance.
    Julie Lasky, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Ruffianly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffianly. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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