roughhousing

Kids playfully scuffling

Roughhousing is boisterous physical play—wrestling, tumbling, shoving—that stops short of real fighting.

Children roughhouse; so do puppies.

The activity walks a line between play and aggression: The boys were just roughhousing, but someone's going to get hurt.

As a verb, to roughhouse is to engage in such play.

play

horseplay

Boisterous rough behavior

wrestlingCombat sport requiring holds
tusslingEngaging in rough struggle
playfightingPretend physical conflict

scuffling · romping · tickling · chasing · jostling · shoving · tumbling · grappling · tackling · pouncing

boisterous

rowdy

Noisily disorderly

raucousLoud and disorderly
wildNot domesticated or controlled
rambunctiousUncontrollably lively and loud

unruly · boisterous · tumultuous · chaotic · rollicking · obstreperous · noisy · loud · disruptive · out-of-control

mischief

antics

Absurd, attention-seeking behavior

pranksPlayful mischievous acts
mischiefPlayful troublesome behavior
troublemakingDeliberately causing discord

skylarking · hijinks · shenanigans · tomfoolery · monkeyshines · clowning · larking · capers · devilry · rascality

Categories

mock combatsparring, war games, paintball, laser tag, airsoft
playfulnessplay, frolic, romp, fun, mirth
behaviorshabit, aggressive, agitation, conduct, passive
fightsfight, brawl, scuffle, scrap, tussle
fistfightspunch, jab, uppercut, haymaker, right hook
mischiefmischief, hijinks, antics, pranks, antic

Opposites

physical intensity of play

roughhousingsoft play

Cushioned children's play area

reading together · board games · coloring · cuddling · sitting quietly

behavioral demeanor

roughhousinggentleness

Soft, kind demeanor

calmness · sitting still · composure · restraint · tranquility

Family

rough, house, roughly, roughest, rougher, roughhouse, roughhoused, roughhouses

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G