gruff

UK: /ˈgrʌf/ US: /grʌf/ ,(gruf )

Inflections of 'gruff' (adj):

gruffer

adj comparative

gruffest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gruff /grʌf/   adj., -er, -est. 

1. low and harsh;
   hoarse:
   a gruff voice.
2. roughly stern;
   brusque:
   a gruff manner.

gruff•ly, adv. 
gruff•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gruff  (gruf ), adj., -er, -est. 

1. low and harsh;
   hoarse:
   a gruff voice.
2. rough, brusque, or surly:
   a gruff manner.

• Middle Dutch grof coarse; cognate with German grob
• 1525–35

gruff′ish, adj. 
gruff′ly, adv. 
gruff′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. curt.

Antonyms

• 2. courteous.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gruff / ɡrʌf/ adjective

1. rough or surly in manner, speech, etc: a gruff reply
2. (of a voice, bark, etc) low and throaty

Etymology: 16th Century: originally Scottish, from Dutch grof, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German girob; related to Old English hrēof, Lithuanian kraupùs

ˈgruffly adverb

ˈgruffness noun