adjective

gruff

GRUF/ɡrʌf/

Rough and harsh in voice or manner.

The gruff shopkeeper slides over the purchase without returning the customer's friendly greeting.

An older shopkeeper responds to a customer's friendly greeting with a brusque, unsmiling manner, sliding her purchase toward her without reciprocating her warmth.

Etymology

Grof described physical coarseness before gruff came to describe manners. The selected meaning transfers that rough texture to a person's voice or behavior.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain148:34

somebody has been sitting in my chair said the great huge bear in his great rough Gruff voice

1800s Fiction: Joseph Jacobs - English Fairy Tales (Audiobook)

More examples

Despite her gruff manner, the coach cares about every player.
The driver gave a gruff reply and closed the window.
You sound gruffer on the phone than you do in person.

Forms

gruff · gruffer · gruffest

gruffly adverb — In a rough, harsh voice or manner.

gruffness noun — A rough, harsh quality of voice or manner.

Similar words

brusque: Emphasizes abrupt, impatient behavior rather than a rough voice.
curt: Emphasizes rudely brief speech rather than a harsh vocal quality.
harsh: Can suggest greater severity or unkindness than gruff does.