roughness
Lack of smoothness
Roughness is the quality of being rough—uneven, coarse, or not smooth.
A surface has roughness when it catches the hand: the roughness of sandpaper, the roughness of tree bark.
The word extends to harshness in manner or speech: There was a roughness in his voice that startled her.
In technical contexts, roughness is a measurable property of surfaces, quantifying texture at microscopic scales.
Abrasive-coated finishing material
- gritDetermination or abrasive particles
- burlapCoarse woven fiber
- hessianCoarse woven jute cloth
- corduroyRidged cotton textile
pumice · stucco · corrugation · graininess · pebbled · ribbed · knurling · serration
Unsparing quality or manner
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
- intensityStrength or force level
- sternnessUncompromising strictness of manner
- strictnessInflexibility in enforcement
austerity · inclemency · asperity · rigor · relentlessness · unsparing · pitiless · hardship
Granular polishing mineral
- scouringVigorous abrasive cleaning
- scrubClean by rubbing hard
- exfoliateRemove outer skin layers
- fileStored collection of data
rasp · grindstone · whetstone · sandblast · buff · polish · scour · corundum
Land's physical features
- mountainsTall elevated landmasses
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- backcountrySparsely populated wilderness areas
- bouldersLarge rounded stones
rocky · craggy · topography · landscape · geology · earthiness · trails · off-road
State of mind
- impatienceIntolerance of delay
- annoyanceState of being bothered
- frustrationDispleasure from blocked efforts
- grumpinessBad-tempered disposition
testiness · crankiness · surliness · edginess · snappishness · grouchiness · peevishness · brusqueness
Resistance to wear
- toughnessResilient durability under strain
- hardinessAbility to endure adversity
- sturdinessStrength and solidity
- robustnessResistance to failure
endurance · solidity · indestructibility · reliability · weatherproof
sandpaper
Abrasive-coated finishing material
corduroy · pumice · stucco · corrugation · graininess · pebbled · ribbed · knurling · serration · coarseness
harshness
Unsparing quality or manner
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
- intensityStrength or force level
- sternnessUncompromising strictness of manner
strictness · austerity · inclemency · asperity · rigor · relentlessness · unsparing · pitiless · hardship · unforgiving
emery
Granular polishing mineral
file · rasp · grindstone · whetstone · sandblast · buff · polish · scour · corundum · garnet
terrain
Land's physical features
- mountainsTall elevated landmasses
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- backcountrySparsely populated wilderness areas
boulders · rocky · craggy · topography · landscape · geology · earthiness · trails · off-road · uncharted
temper
State of mind
- impatienceIntolerance of delay
- annoyanceState of being bothered
- frustrationDispleasure from blocked efforts
grumpiness · testiness · crankiness · surliness · edginess · snappishness · grouchiness · peevishness · brusqueness · curtness
durability
Resistance to wear
- toughnessResilient durability under strain
- hardinessAbility to endure adversity
- sturdinessStrength and solidity
robustness · endurance · solidity · indestructibility · reliability · weatherproof
- touchtouch, feel, touching, caress, feeling
- dry skinflaking, cracking, scaling, dryness, peeling
- movement qualitiesspeed, force, grace, clumsiness, stealth
- physical propertiessolid, texture, weight, mass, surface
- harshnessseverity, sternness, sharpness, hardness, rigor
- wildnesswildness, wilds, natural state, savagery, ferocity
roughnessgentleness
Soft, kind demeanor
tenderness · kindness · gentility · softness · delicacy
roughnessrefinement
Elegance of manner
polish · sophistication · elegance · smoothness · finesse
- unnecessary roughnessPenalty for excessive violence