Use roughhousing for the activity itself, especially when the play is physical and rowdy but still meant as play.
Use roughhousing for the activity itself, especially when the play is physical and rowdy but still meant as play.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The roughhousing were too loud. | The roughhousing was too loud. |
| The fight outside was harmless roughhousing. | The fight outside was serious violence. |
| The roughhousing of the apartment was expensive. | The rough renovation of the apartment was expensive. |
Use roughhousing as the present participle of roughhouse, usually with be: is roughhousing, were roughhousing.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She roughhousing with her brother now. | She is roughhousing with her brother now. |
| They were roughhousing the victim in the alley. | They were attacking the victim in the alley. |
| He roughhousing yesterday. | He roughhoused yesterday. |
Use roughhousing when the action is physical and rowdy but still playful. For real aggression, choose words such as fighting, assault, or attacking.
Using roughhousing for a real fight wrongly makes serious violence sound playful.
From roughhouse plus -ing. Roughhouse is an American formation from rough and house, recorded as a noun in the 1880s and as a verb soon after.
What does roughhousing mean?
Roughhousing means rough, noisy physical play, such as mock fighting, wrestling, or tumbling.
Is roughhousing the same as fighting?
No. Roughhousing is playful. A real attempt to hurt someone is fighting, assault, or attacking.
Can roughhousing be a noun?
Yes. In The roughhousing got too loud, roughhousing is a noun for the activity.
Can roughhousing be a verb?
Yes. It is the present participle of roughhouse, as in The kids are roughhousing.
Can animals be roughhousing?
Yes. Puppies, kittens, and other animals can be described as roughhousing when they play roughly.
What is the past tense of roughhouse?
The past tense is roughhoused.
Is roughhousing formal?
It is a common everyday word, not a formal legal or medical term.
What are synonyms for roughhousing?
Common synonyms include horseplay, play-fighting, rough play, romping, and tumbling.