Scabrous

/ˈskeɪbɹəs/

Synonyms for "scabrous" (52 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: asperous, bristly, coarse, craggy, difficult.
  • Sentence evidence is available for scabrous, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "scabrous".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "scabrous"

Keep "scabrous" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "scabrous" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "scabrous", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "scabrous" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

6 relation types

More general

2 entries
sexual contentsurface texture

More specific

2 entries
explicit scenessandpapery texture

Collocations

5 entries
scabrous barkscabrous jokescabrous surfacescabrous texturescabrous topic

Inflections

2 entries
more scabrousmost scabrous

Derivations

2 entries

similar

3 entries

Sample sentences

14 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

After the incident with the gasoline, Noel’s burnt arm remained scabrous and was susceptible to infections.

Source: wiktionary

I was ſurpriz'd to ſee Mars continue quite round, though hardly, to Appearance, disjoin'd from the ſcabrous Edge of the Moon; but that Inſtant I thought it began to loſe its Figure.—Clouds.

Source: wiktionary

Lumbricus ſcaber. The rough Lumbricus. The Sea-worm. This ſpecies grows to a foot, or more, in length, and to the thickneſs of a man's finger. It is of a pale red colour, and is compoſed of a number of rings or annular joints, as it were, in the manner of the other; but the ſkin is ſcabrous, and all theſe rings are covered with little prominences, ſo that it is extreamly rough to the touch.

Source: wiktionary

[Helianthus] frondosus, […] stem smooth below, leaves lance ovate, remotely and acutely serrate, scabrous above, paler and sub-scabrous beneath, 3-nerved: peduncles scabrous; petiole ciliate; calyx squarose, undulate, leafy, ciliate: rays 8-flowered.

Source: wiktionary

Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "scabrous"?

Closest matches include asperous, bristly, coarse, craggy, difficult.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "scabrous"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "scabrous"